《The Demon and the Gong》


 Born of the Moon

    Deep within a secret chamber under the palace, a noble immortal and the Crown Prince of the Celestial Realm, stood in their divine human guise, watching an egg hatch.


    Now, this is when my story begins. The air around us crackled with magic as I entered this world. The egg cracked open, revealing my soft azure skin and a patch of silver-blue hair. I felt cramped, I needed more space to breathe. Then, with a burst of light, the egg shattered around me. Though the broken pieces did not touch the two, they remained suspended in the air, and then with the flick of the immortal''s wrist, they floated back and neatly set on the table.


    My eyes flutter and the first thing I see is two men watching with rapt attention. One had beads of sweat on his brow, his features were chiseled with splendor. The other one, given that he had perfume on, probably royalty was chubbier. They both had auras of power and nobility. They looked at each other and the energetic one beamed. Although I naturally feel more interested in the calm one.


    The energetic one claps his hands, then places his hand on his chin and shakes his head. "Long Fei, you did it! I can''t believe it."


    The calm immortal elegantly wiped the sweat off his brow with his sleeve. "Your Highness, remember this is between you and me. No one is to know."


    Wait, I¡¯m going to be hidden? I can''t be caged. I''m a free spirit!


    "Oh alright. Only because you asked. What will you name your guardian?"


    So that¡¯s what I am... a guardian. That means I won''t be caged.


    "Ling Yue, meaning she will be clever and have the spirit of the moon."


    Ah, so that¡¯s my name. I love it!


    "How do you know it¡¯s a girl? Is this your way of fending off other women?"


    So I have the authority to keep the ladies away. A devilish grin creeps across my face.


    The stoic one remained silent, a subtle smile tugging at his lips.


    He looks more handsome when he smiles. Okay, we¡¯re going to work on that. I¡¯m going to bring so much joy that he can''t help but smile. I¡¯ll turn that frown upside down.


    "Perhaps. It wouldn''t hurt. She will have the power of a cyclone within her. So she will be a force to be reckoned with. Anyone that wants to get to me will have to go through her first."


    The power of a cyclone. I like the sound of that! I try to channel such power. Wait... Why can¡¯t I move?


    The Crown Prince scratched his chin, grinning. "If that''s the case. You can''t train her here. I want the Celestial Realm to remain peaceful and quiet." He let out a sigh. "I know your cultivation was high enough to create a guardian but why did you lock your emotions in her? I told you that I don''t need that sacrifice. I trust that you will never betray me or seek the throne."


    Wait, he sacrificed his emotions to bring me to life? In the 10 minutes I''ve been alive. I already feel special. Tears well up in my eyes. Agree. He is very trustworthy. You have my allegiance! I will make sure to feel your emotions to the fullest.


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    The immortal sighs. "I know you didn''t ask but I felt it was necessary. This way I could be completely focused on protecting the realm."


    I feel a tinge of sadness. No, he didn''t want to give up his emotions. He sacrificed for the greater good to remove unnecessary temptations.


    "But you won''t be able to build any romantic relations. Won''t you regret it?"


    "That''s fine. I do not need it."


    My heart remains steady. Maybe romantic relations are not important after all.


    "That will disappoint a lot of immortals, you are the most sought-after noble after me, that is. I know the Phoenix Princess, Zhen Hua has set her heart on you. Why don''t you marry her? She''s the most beautiful and talented out of the females, a fitting match for you."


    I already don''t like this Phoenix Princess. She sounds like trouble.


    Long Fei shook his head. "You know my brother, Long Yan, has been pining after her for millennia. I can''t do that to him. It will break his heart if I marry her."


    So he has a brother, he doesn''t sound as captivatingas him.


    "And your heart? You can''t honestly say you don''t find her attractive even the slightest?"


    "Why do you think I locked my emotions away?"


    Personal quest: keep the Phoenix Princess away from him.


    The Crown Prince shakes his head. "I seriously don''t understand your logic. Your brother would have understood... I hope you don''t regret it."


    Another personal quest: make sure the brother ends up with the princess.


    The Crown Prince leans in and appraises me. "I can''t help but think she will be trouble incarnate. I expected her to be a dragon since you''re the Dragon of Air. But she looks more like a tiny whale..."


    I don''t feel any wings, I try to breathe out fire. Nope, I''m definitely not a dragon. I do feel heavy around the gut.


    "Nothing passes your discerning eye, Your Highness. I have a good relation with the Merfolks. Their monarchs gifted me the egg, that''s why she''s from the sea. Since you''re hesitant for me to train her here, I''ll take her to the Ocean Realm."


    As intriguing as their conversation was, it was time for me to make myself known. I tried to move but my body didn''t respond. Then I opened my mouth and said the first thing I could think of. I couldn''t help but feel a strong bond towards the calm immortal. I felt the need to protect him. Then I said, "Master?"


    Long Fei''s eyes softened. "See, I told you she was clever."


    He leans towards me and pats me on the head.


    Oh! This feels great! I will be demanding head pats from now on.


    Then he wrapped a silk cloth around me. "Your Highness, thank you for accommodating us. It''s time we head to the Ocean Realm. I will keep you posted as she levels up. Pretty soon, you might have another warrior defending you."


    The Crown Prince claps his hand on Long Fei''s back. "She''s welcome here any time. I sure hope she keeps your chaotic emotions safe within her. I''ll treat your pet like my own." He reaches for my head and pats it.


    I like this one too but not as much as my master.


    His Highness pulls a copper chain, and the door slides open, leading us up the narrow stairs to his bedroom chamber. Then out to the open.


    The chamber was floating on clouds. The sun was setting, casting an orange-pink hue across the sky. Every building was shrouded in clouds. Immortals could be seen riding rainbows and divine beasts. It was a breathtaking view.


    We bid His Highness farewell. Then gusts of wind swirl around us as my master starts to tremble. Divine light envelops us as he transforms into a majestic dragon. His wings spread wide and flap, gently holding me in his claws. I can''t believe it¡ªI''m flying! I''m free as a bird!


    Other immortals stop and gape at the sight of my master''s splendor. Then he dives down, spinning as he catches the wind. We glide, taking in the view of mountains disappearing into the clouds, a clear sky stretching endlessly, and the vast ocean beneath us. He circles over a spot in the ocean before diving into the deep blue.


    As the water washes over me, I feel alive. I thought my purpose was to be his guardian, but why settle for mediocrity¡­ when I could carve my own legend?

 Chapter 2: Im going to be fish food!

    We pass corals, schools of fish, pods of dolphins, and a town of merfolk, their faces gape in awe. We must be quite a sight. After all, it''s not every day you see a dragon carrying a whale. Energy surges through my body. Feeling so alive in the water, I start flipping my fins and tail. My master probably senses my eagerness, since he releases me into the vast ocean. I''m a big girl now. I can swim on my own!


    Bubbles whirl around as I swim in circles, trying to get the hang of this body. I look for guidance, but the dragon is nowhere to be seen. Where did he go?


    It is eerily silent. No life forms in sight, and the water feels colder. It''s pretty dark here. I squint. Where is everybody?


    Maybe we''re playing hide and seek?


    I survey my surroundings; crags, crags, more crags, and... sea monster.


    Wait, what? The hideous beast is eyeing me. It has two eyes closed, and a third one as an extension from its head, dangling at the front, glowing. It looks shriveled up: I thought the water was supposed to moisturize! Talk about creepy!


    Maybe I should stop commenting and do something. It''s getting closer. I dart my eyes, searching for somewhere to hide. My master must be close by, right? My heart quickens, and I''m beginning to panic. I can''t see him anywhere. How can a humungous dragon hide so well?


    "Master!" I scream, my voice echoing. "Ok, you can come out now. Help!"


    But there is no response.


    He said I had cyclone power... more like perilous power.


    The beast torpedoes toward me, its sharp, jagged teeth bared. Pew! It has some serious gingivitis as I almost pass out from its stench.


    I swim as fast as my little fins can manage, but it feels like I''m swimming in mud, Why am I not moving forward? I''m getting sucked back!


    The beast opens its mouth wide. Nooo... I''m too young to die! I haven''t conquered anything yet!


    I''m edging dangerously close to the jaws of death. I shut my eyes. No, I refuse to die without a fight. I turn my body around to get a good look at my first predator. No, it shall be my first prey.


    I do the only thing I can do when getting sucked in. I take a deep breath and roar at it with all my might. To my surprise, a wave of air stuns it. Then, I use my thick head to head-butt it. It seems to anger it more.


    I roar again. There was no sudden burst of wave. It gives me a deadpan look. I swing my tail around, ready to give it a good thrashing.


    Then suddenly, an air bubble encased me. The sea monster''s eyes widen, and it flees, leaving a trail of puny bubbles.


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    A shadow looms over me. My body shivers as an overbearing aura overwhelms me. This might be the end. I turn around to face my next foe. To my relief, it is salvation.


    "Master! There you are."


    The dragon sighs. "I see your instinct is to fight rather than use your surroundings to your advantage and hide when you face a larger foe. What would happen if I wasn''t nearby?"


    "I did call for you, but you didn¡¯t answer¡­¡±


    "Yes, I heard. The whole chasm heard. Why do you think that creature was able to pinpoint where you were?" He sighs. "There goes our dinner." He turns around and swims away.


    I was about to retort, but fair enough; I''d be upset too if someone chased away my dinner.


    The dragon leads us down the chasm, the water ripples, and an ethereal light shimmers throughout the darkness as he transforms into his human guise to enter an ancient cave, where jellyfish with their bioluminescent glow light up the space.


    My master turns to me. "Since you don''t know how to read yet. I will tell you your results."


    "I was being tested?"


    "Well, I was allowing you to explore while I get dinner. Since you decided to randomly fight a significantly larger creature than yourself when you weren''t ready, I figured I''d assess you."


    My face heats up. My fins are not long enough to cover my shame. That wasn¡¯t my finest moment, especially after I cried for help.


    "Thanks for saving me," I dip my head.


    "I wasn''t saving you. I was saving our food from you but when it saw me it fled."


    "You mean? That sudden burst of wave when I screamed, wasn''t you?"


    Master shook his head, a slight smile tugging his lips.


    "That was you, Ling Yue. Well done for summoning that power so soon."


    "Really? So I do have cyclone powers?"


    "I wouldn''t call that a cyclone. More like a power of 5 out of 100. You''ll need more time to hone that skill."


    I''m liking this. "Ok, what are my results? Did I impress you?"


    He lets out a sigh. "Courage: Level 1, Elemental Power: Level 1, Physical Power: Level 0, Strategy: Level 0, Agility: Level 0, and Speed: Level 0"


    "What are these levels? What are they out of?"


    "At this initial stage: 10. I suspect that''s when you would evolve into a larger size once you reach that level. Then we will go from there."


    "Does that mean I increased in Courage and Power?"


    He nods.


    "How come I didn''t increase in Strategy, Agility, and Speed?"


    "Given that you were almost eaten by our lost dinner, I think that''s a fair assessment."


    "So, a near-death experience only increased my Courage and Elemental Power to Level 1? Isn''t that a bit too tough of a rating system?"


    "I thought I was being generous. Most sea creatures would have avoided that sea monster, given that it''s blind."


    "But I saw its eyes widen when it saw you."


    "No, it sensed my hunger. That''s something you need to learn. To sense danger before it gets too close."


    I pout. I don''t think he''s the type to feed my ego. I was hoping for a glowing result. I guess that''s tomorrow''s problem. Today''s got enough problems of its own. My stomach starts grumbling. I scan around the gloomy cave. I wonder what we¡¯re going to have for dinner? I look at my master with doe eyes, hoping for some sympathy.


    Long Fei¡¯s eyes soften, then he points north and says, "There should be some krill nearby. Try not to get eaten."


    "You want to send me out there again?"


    He scratches his chin, and then his stomach rumbles. He puts a hand over his face. Raising his free hand, he closes his fist, and a school of krill trapped in an air bubble flies in, illuminating the cave. My mouth waters as they look incredibly tasty.


    I can''t believe what I just saw. "You can do that without looking?"


    "You will be able to, too. One day. Now eat."


    Oh, I can''t wait to level up now! I chomp on some live krill. I watch my Master gracefully summon an air bubble around a cluster of krill, then inject his energy to cook it in the bubble. Then he eats it elegantly.


    I happily munch away, wondering why he''s taking his sweet time eating something so delicious. Maybe cooked food tastes better. He hands me a cooked krill. I give it a taste. It is so much better!


    "Master, will you teach me how to cook like that too?"


    Long Fei raises an eyebrow. "First, let''s work on making you higher up on the food chain."


    Fair point! I don''t want to be someone else''s dinner. I can''t wait to evolve!

 Chapter 3: The Smiling Assassins

    I feel the soft breeze of the ocean, the warm sun shining down on me as waves lap gently against my tail. Wait, how did I get here? My master moved me while I was asleep? But... he''s nowhere to be seen. Why am I not surprised? This must be another test. I groan. Land... why must it be land? Talk about rising to a challenge.


    I glance around. It looks like I''m on a small, stranded island¡ªjust sand and a few palm trees, crossed together like an X. Huh. I wonder if there¡¯s treasure buried there. Maybe I should come back when I evolve. Right now, this tiny body is a problem on land.


    I shift, struggling to move. It¡¯s so much easier in the water. But I can do this. I press my tail down, my body rocking with the effort, and I tilt over. Ugh¡­ Land, one day I will conquer you.


    I sigh. Let''s roll.


    I try to roll over, and sand sprinkles off me. Must get to water. Must keep rolling until I¡¯m submerged.


    Then I hear whistles. A strange sound. Another creature has joined me. Friend or foe?


    Suddenly, I¡¯m in the air! What the?!


    I''m spinning in the air. The world is tumbling. I''m flipping from side to side, feeling the pressure on all parts of my body as I''m tossed around. As I rotate, my dizzy eyes glimpse a few white baby seals.


    "Hey! Put me down right now!" They''re adorable, but not when I''m their toy.


    They dared to clap their fins and kept bouncing me around. The audacity. The shame. Oh, I think I''m going to be sick. I can feel last night''s krill threatening to come out. My stomach growls, and I can feel the puke in my mouth.


    The seals must have sensed it as they drop me like a hot potato, shuffling back, out of my firing line. Bwah!


    They whistle to each other, nod, and race away.


    "Oh, no you don''t! No one does that to me and gets away with it!"


    I chase them, my fury fueling me. My puke is washed away in my wake. They are getting smaller as my tiny fins can''t keep up. I grit my teeth and force my tail to slice through the water. I pick up speed. Yes! No, they stopped and waited for me. Then, before I know it, I¡¯m back in the air again. They use their tails this time to bounce me around. A familiar figure approaches, gliding gracefully on the water. It could only be one person. Finally, salvation.


    My master clears his throat. "Are you having fun there?"


    "Of course, I love waking up being tossed around," I reply, rolling my eyes and grunting as the seal''s tail hit me.


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    "In that case, I''ll leave you to it," he turns around.


    "Alright! I was kidding. I''m not having fun at all. This is a daymare!"


    He pauses, turns around and I swear by the sea I saw a tinge of amusement in his eyes.


    He whistles, and the baby seals stop playing. They drop me like a rock and swim toward him. They happily accept his company as he pats them on their heads. They roll over, and he scratches their bellies.


    "That was your warm-up, now training begins." He gets up and flies to the shore.


    The baby seals turn their gaze at me, and their adorable doe eyes hardened to beady. They''re giving off some intimidating vibes now, I couldn''t help but back away, my body trembling.


    I laugh nervously. "Can''t we just be friends? Let''s not do anything rash."


    They remained silent, circling me like a bunch of sharks. I gulp, not liking where this is heading.


    Then one seal whistles. The one behind me charges at me, tackling me from behind. My body is sent flying out of the water and crashing down. My head is still spinning from the impact as they swim towards me. Another whistle, one advances, and I barely avoid its tackle. With another whistle, I get hit again. My body aches everywhere, including places I didn''t know I had. Think! There has to be a way to get out of this vicious cycle. What would my master say? That''s it! My master had hinted at the whistle before he left.


    Once I hear that annoying sound again, I immediately shift my body and head-butt anything white. Thud! A hit! At long last. Confidence surged in me as the whistles kept coming and I kept dodging and head-butting.


    "Aaargh!" A wave of air burst out. I did it again! I look around to see the damage only to find the seals have disappeared. Huh? Where did they go?


    Darting up, I break through the surface. They can''t be too far. Surprisingly, they''re in a bubble floating to the shore, smiling happily and waving at me.


    "Hey! No fair!" I rush to shore. My tail is slicing through the water.


    I finally reach them, fuming to see my master rubbing their bellies.


    "Master! Why did you intervene? I had it under control. I was finally winning." But then, my vision starts to blur. The world tilts, and before I can protest further, everything goes black.


    ***


    The aroma of air-cooked krill tickles my nose. My mouth starts watering as I wake up.


    My master writes on a scroll as I chomp on my delicious dinner. He looks up at me.


    "I can hear you''re awake. Ready to hear your results?"


    "Oh, I definitely would have leveled up heaps," I mumble with my mouth full.


    He shakes his head, then with a flick of his wrist, my dinner floats toward him.


    "Let''s work on your table manners first, shall we? Try not to talk with your mouth full. It''s unrefined. You will be attending banquets in the future."


    I was about to retort while chewing, but he kept staring at me. I gulp. Then nod. With the flick of his wrist, the krill returns to me and I leap up swallowing the whole cluster, chomping happily away. Burp!


    "Okay, I''m done eating now. You can tell me how awesome I was," I grin, puffing my chest.


    Long Fei sighs. "Courage: Level 2, Elemental Power: Level 3, Physical Power: Level 1, Strategy: Level 1, Agility: Level 1, and Speed: Level 1."


    "Yes! I knew I did better today. Those adorable baby seals didn''t know what hit them. Wait, I increased two levels with Elemental Power? Is that why you stopped me?"


    He scratches his chin. "Partly. I brought them back before they were hit by the blast. I promised their mother they would return unscathed. It would probably only bruise them, but a promise is a promise. You clearly went past your limit."


    I recall passing out. Oh... so he does care about me.


    "How come my courage only leveled up by 1?"


    "You think I didn''t notice you backing away when the baby seals became serious?"


    If my fins could reach, I would hide my embarrassment.


    "What about the other scores? I thought I did better today."


    "You did, that''s why you leveled up. Since you were training with adorable baby seals, I think it''s a fair assessment."


    "They weren''t that adorable, more like smiling assassins," I muttered, glancing at the ceiling. What does it take to level up quickly? I want to evolve already.

 Chapter 4: Need for Speed

    I wake up in the ancient cave. Oh good, I didn¡¯t get transported to some random place this time. An air-cooked krill floats in front of me. Yum! To my surprise, there¡¯s a whole line of krill leading out of the cave. What do I do? Eat, of course. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.


    As I pass the entrance, still chomping away, the trail snakes out of the chasm. I could get used to this. Seriously, the way to my heart is krill.


    Outside the chasm, on top of crags, the trail ends. I spot my master patting an orange big-belly seahorse, the size of his forearm, the same size as me. It happily munches some planktons from his hand.


    He turns to me and lets go of the creature, "I see you''re ready for today''s training."


    "Ready to level up and work on my roar. It needs to be strong like a cyclone."


    He arches a brow, his voice unnervingly stern. "You''re forbidden to use that technique today. If I catch you using it, I will deduct marks."


    "But why? I can do it."


    "Says the one that passed out after using it. You need to work on other skills first before you can use that technique."


    Luckily, he fed me first, or I might¡¯ve turned into a very cranky whale.


    "Fine, what do I need to work on then? If elemental power is a no go at the moment."


    "Take a guess," he nudges the seahorse forward. It whinnies at its introduction.


    "Pfft! You''re going to make me race it, ain''t you? Aren''t big bellies slow? Like, snail pace slow? Come on, give me a challenge."


    "Clearly, you haven''t realized how slow you are. He''s a level 2 in speed. And what level are you?"


    "One..." I dip my head. He didn''t have to rub it in. I can''t be that bad.


    Whoosh!


    Long Fei floats back 500 meters in lightning speed and extends his hand. "It''s simple. The first to pass me wins the race. I''ll give you three chances. Now, start next to your competitor."


    Well, compared to him, yes, I am slow.


    I eagerly set myself next to the seahorse. It whinnies. This is going to be easy. I''m going to prove that I''m faster than a snail


    "Ready, set. Go!"


    I swim as fast as my tail can handle, flipping my fins as fast as possible. My body propels forward. I''m going to win! The seahorse rocks slowly ahead of me, towards the finish line and wins.


    Oh, the shame. I can feel my face burn up. I want to dig a hole in the sand and bury myself.


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    "Now, do you realize your speed?"


    I refuse to answer. I follow the speedy seahorse to the starting line, steeling myself for the next round.


    "Round 2. Go!"


    Again, I force my fins and tail to move like the wind. The sea horse moves slowly and steadily past the finish line. My master pats it while it neighs happily.


    Oh! Come on! As I pass the finish line, I pant heavily. This is not going to work. My fastest movements can''t, for the life of me, outrun this supposedly sea snail. There has to be another way.


    Long Fei tilts his head towards the start line. I grudgingly  make my way back, out of breath and disappointed.


    My competitor waits patiently for me to float next to it. It smiles and neighs.


    I take a deep breath, ready to blast its infuriating smile away, then pause. Oh right! No elemental power allowed.


    The sea steed sways happily as though it''s confident it has this in the bag. A devilish grin creeps on my face as an idea forms...


    "Last chance! Go!"


    As the steed starts moving, I dip my head and clench my teeth into its tail. It yelps and speeds toward the finish line. I bite harder, refusing to let go. At the last second, I flip it back with all my might, then launch myself past the line in a final burst.


    Long Fei''s eyes widen. "That''s one way to win. Now I''ll need to tend to your poor competitor''s wound."


    He floats over to the crying sea horse, plucking a small ointment jar from his sleeves. He gently applies the ointment to the bite mark, hushing the poor creature. It whimpers as the ointment soothes the wound.


    The sound of the whimpering made my heart clench. Maybe, I did go a little bit overboard. I approach my victim with remorse.


    "I''m sorry. I''ll go get some more planktons." I sniff the water. I turn to my master and dive into his sleeve that has the scent of planktons, rummaging for it. He gently pushes my head aside. But I managed to grab some in my mouth and spit it out next to my victim.


    The sea horse whinnies,  its eye smiling along with its playful grin as it munches on my peace-giving.


    ***


    Back at the ancient cave, I insistently nudge Long Fei as he writes on parchment, and then he rolls it up.


    "Master, you can tell me my results now."


    To my surprise, he hands me the scroll. Then he floats back to his usual seat.


    Staring at the scroll, my fins try to reach but it''s too short. I give my master a deadpan look. With a flick of his wrist, the scroll unfurls itself.


    He impassively looks back. "I suspect that you can read. Reading is one of my favorite pastimes. If you try, you will pick it up in no time."


    I groan. This sounds more grueling than any training. I stare at the parchment, not even sure what I''m looking at. I recall what he said previously about the levels and skills. Since my Elemental Power was at Level 3 and I wasn''t allowed to use it today, then the numbers must mean 3 since they''re identical.


    Courage: Level 3, Elemental Power: Level 3, Physical Power: Level 3, Strategy: Level 3, Agility: Level 3, and Speed: Level 3.


    "Yes, I''m on level 3 for all skills now," I jiggle, doing a little dance.


    "See, I told you, you will catch on quick. Well done!" A smile tugs at his lips.


    "I get why I leveled up with speed because I beat the big belly but why did I level up with all the others too? Are you going soft on me?"


    "Not at all. It takes courage to change your fate. If you continued to do the same thing, you would have lost. It takes power and agility to flick a creature your size back. Your strategy paid off in the end, even though it''s probably fueled by your competitive nature."


    "A win is a win. I didn''t break any rules. I won fair by my terms," I beam as my chest puffs out.


    "True, I only said whoever passes me first. Wins."


    "Since all my skills are balanced now, does that mean tomorrow I can work on my blasting technique?"


    My master didn''t reply. He closes his eyes as he cultivates. That''s my queue to keep quiet. I do not want to be caught in his maelstrom.


    My mind reels at all the possibilities that tomorrow can offer. At this rate, I''ll be evolving in no time. I can''t wait to have others not wanting to be in my maelstrom too.

 Chapter 5: Suck it up!

    After many days of grueling reading and numeracy lessons, I''m finally allowed to learn more about elemental power. The scenery changed, probably because I can accidentally destroy the Chasm.


    So now, we''re in a vast ocean where it''s all blue with no dangerous craggy rocks to destroy. A school of colorful fish swims by like a shimmering rainbow. My mouth waters just by looking at them. With a flick of his wrist, my master made bubbles around each fish, lining them up.


    "You''re not going to use your Elemental Air Blast today. Instead, you need to balance it out. This time, I want to see you use a vacuum technique."


    Vacuum? How do I do that? I look at him, confused.


    He scratches his chin and his brows furrows. "I''ve seen how you eat, you vacuum up all the krill, so apply it to this."


    Each small fish is wrapped in a bubble and whirls around me, making me dizzy. But he continued saying, "Go on, eat your fill."


    Eat my fill? I like this kind of training. Open wide! So I drop my jaw wide and chomp away, but the fish keeps evading me. I keep missing. He''s moving the bubbles away from me.


    "Hey! That''s not fair! Don''t play with my food!"


    "You''re not following my instructions. I said vacuum." He demonstrates this by taking a deep breath. Suddenly, a strong current appears. All the bubbles rapidly gravitate towards him. Just before they reach his mouth, they stop and float up again.


    "You can try it, except you can eat it. I don''t like eating raw fish."


    This is interesting. I take a deep breath, mouth agape, drawing in as much as possible. Then I splutter. All I''m getting is water. The fish barely made its way towards me. It remains stationed. And then you know what my master did? He takes a book out of his sleeve and starts reading.


    "Um, is that all? Aren''t you going to teach me?"


    "I''ve shown you enough. You''ll get it. Keep at it."


    I take another deep breath, suck like a goby. I start choking on water. He doesn''t even spare a glance at me. He flips another page over. I suppose he can''t help me with this. He can''t do it for me. It is my body, after all. I had a long think about it. When I used my blast, all I thought was screaming at the top of my lungs, pushing all the air out of my body. Air! That''s all I thought about. What would happen if I just focused on the air and sucked in the air? I give it another go. Just concentrating on the air in the water. And feeling and sensing the air pockets. The little tiny air molecules. I only want the air. I take a deep breath. And then the bubbles of fish slowly gravitate towards me. As it moves towards me, I hear another page flip.


    He flicks his wrist again, and the fish start swirling. I close my eyes before the dizziness takes over and try to sense the flow of the currents. I sniff the scent of fish. I stick out my tongue to taste the salty sea. I raise my head and start to draw in just the air. To my surprise, keeping my eyes closed, there''s a fish in my mouth. That''s one. My eyes snap open and the bubbles are swirling around me again. I managed to get one. I can feel it wriggling in my mouth.


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    Crunch! This is a new taste for me. It''s scrumptious! I like this training. That appetizer made my stomach grumble, and my mouth salivate. Eager for more, I keep my eyes peeled; I prefer to see what I eat. The swirling doesn''t bother me anymore as they rotate like a whirlpool. To me, it means that there''s a lot of fish for me to eat. I gape like a baby bird and gobble them all in, munching away happily. With all the extra air that I''m inhaling, my stomach starts to bloat. Oh no, I need to release it! And then a large wheezing sound escapes me. My master pinches his nose.


    "Most people exhale air out, either through their nose or mouth. Must you use the rear end?"


    "Better out than in."


    He shakes his head, still pinching his nose. "How about we try without any incentive?" And then, he points his fingers up. Air bubbles swirl around me. The training is not as fun without food, but I want to get stronger, so I ready myself. I take a deep breath. I start sucking all the air bubbles. To my surprise, it didn''t budge. I glance over at him. He has already shifted his attention to his book. His hand extends, and he''s still holding the air bubbles.


    "Uh, Master, do you think you can let it go?"


    He shakes his head. He puts down his hand and flips a page. But the bubbles remain there, even though he''s not holding it anymore. How does he do that when he''s not even looking? I dart towards the bubble with jaw agape, ready to feast, but the air bubble keeps evading me. He''s moving the bubbles while reading, and he''s not even looking! This significant gap between power is so frustrating! I groan, my mind reels: What do I do? Will applying the new technique work? Why won''t the bubbles budge? What am I doing wrong? It should be easier. It should be lighter. It doesn''t have fish in it. What did I do last time? Did I only focus on the air? Or did I get distracted by the fish? Yeah, I was focusing on the fish.


    Now, I''m visualizing and sensing my surroundings again. There are no currents. The bubbles are stagnant. Not a single ripple. They are more subtle now. Or are they? I focus harder. There it is, the air pockets. I''m literally honing in on nothing. So instead of trying to find something, I''m searching for nothing. And in that nothing, those are the air pockets. Masses of air pockets. So I focus on those masses of air pockets and suck. And I can see that they are finally gravitating towards me. As they reach my mouth, I gobble it all up. Since releasing from the rear wasn''t well received, where else can I release it? The weirdest hissing sound escapes me as I let the excess pressure out of my ears. He looks up and arches a brow.


    "Well, that is different. Have you considered exhaling through the nose or mouth?"


    "Well, what''s the fun in that? I want to see where else I can go with this. It''s not like you were paying attention anyway."


    Long Fei scratches his chin with a glint of amusement in his eyes.


    "Oh? Are you sure you want me to pay attention? I''ll give you a glimpse of what happens when I pay attention. Since you want a challenge, see if you can handle this." His eyes sharpen. A bunch of air bubbles appear shaped like arrows. "This is going to hurt. I suggest you avoid them".


    One arrow torpedoes towards me. I shift my body to no avail. It crashed into me, the pain made me yelp. My body convulses. It seriously hurts! He wasn''t kidding. The arrows barrage at me. I try to dodge, but it keeps hitting me repeatedly. No matter where I go or dodge, one will slam into me. I''m a slow target. This training is not fair! Wait a minute, it''s just lateral. So, as it shoots towards me, I dive. At long last, a little relief! The arrows change their trajectory and keep attacking me. Ah, the pain! This is not training, this is torture!


    My body is bruised and battered, but I refuse to give up. No, I can''t allow this to continue. As more arrows dart towards me, I vacuum it all up. It disappears into my mouth. And the excess pressure goes out the rear. Nearby fish float upside down as green mist suffocates them. My master immediately pinches his nose.


    "Alright, that''s enough. Let''s call it a day," his voice muffled behind his sleeve.


    This is a win right? I learnt a new technique. Then I start feeling dizzy, I shudder as the world starts spinning, and I start to sink. Oh no, it''s happening again. I''ve overexerted myself.


    ***


    Back at home in our gloomy cave, my eyes snap open. There is a parchment floating in front of my face.


    It read: Courage: Level 6, Elemental Power: Level 6, Physical Power: Level 6, Strategy: Level 6, Agility: Level 4, and Speed: Level 3.


    Agility and Speed are still low? No wonder those arrows came at me like bulls to a red flag. Talk about being an easy target.


    But check out the rest. I actually did it! Leveled up with bruises and training scars to prove it. Pretty soon I¡¯ll have battle scars. Look out world, get ready for Ling Yue!


    Leveling up seriously drains you. I admit, today was more challenging than expected. Tomorrow is going to be a new day. If I survive the training.

 Chapter 6: Into the Poisonous Minefield

    After my body had healed from the "vacuum" training, we ventured to a secluded area of the Ocean Realm. A barren and peaceful horizon, where no schools of fish dare to travel.


    "Not a soul in sight. Does that mean I get to go all out?"


    My master turns around. He stares at me with a twinkle in his eyes.


    "Stay where you are."


    Then he flies 500 meters back from me at lightning speed. Oh, I can''t wait until I can do that. He raises his hand and summons the air. Suddenly, a string of countless leopard pufferfish come rushing towards us. They line up to form a minefield between us. The water heats up with their presence, warming my skin.


    Then he says, "Today, you''re going to swim through this field and reach towards me. That''s all."


    That''s it? That''s all I have to do? The pufferfish floats unassumingly. They don''t look that nasty. I smirk, relieved that this seems like an easy task. I got this in the bag. I stretch my fins and tail, ready for action.


    "Can''t I blow them away with my elemental air blast?" I take a deep breath, ready to unleash my power.


    Long Fei arches his brow. "Are you sure you want to do that?" He flicks his fingers up, removing one blowfish away from the rest. Then he directs a small gust of wind towards the small creature; it inflates three times its size. The size of me. My jaw drops. Maybe I won''t do that. I begin to tremble, my instincts telling me that today''s training will be worse than before.


    Then he adds, "Oh, by the way, they''re poisonous. Try not to get pricked by them." With a flick of his fingers, he returns the pufferfish to its original position.


    "Go for it." He takes a book out of his sleeve and starts reading.


    My eyes survey the live minefield. How can I go through this poisonous labyrinth without hurting myself? And then it starts to move. It''s a moving poisonous labyrinth?! Talk about adding pressure! As I edge toward the maze, I carefully swim around one, only to be pinched between the other two. I yelp, as they all start inflating. Their needles prick my skin, and a surge of pain floods me. My vision blurs, and my head throbs. This is not training. It''s just another form of torture! He needs to know the difference between training and torture.


    My body shudders and then goes numb as the poison courses through. My cheeks swell up, I take a deep breath and wait for the paralysis to cease. I try again. I can''t see any way around this. I swim upwards; the minefield follows. I change my trajectory and swim down; they follow me, blocking my path. This lethal dance is not fun.


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    Maybe I''m overthinking this? How about if I just charge straight through? I take a deep breath, mentally preparing myself for another onslaught. This is going to hurt. No pain, no gain. And charge! I only managed to get past a couple of mines before they inflate and pinch me between them. Ow! My face swells up. The poison sears through, numbing my body. And they push me back, tumbling to the start again.


    As I wait for the poison to dissipate, my mind reels as the paralysis subsides. I screamed to my master, "If you wanted to get rid of me, you could have just asked. You don''t need to torture me, you know."


    He didn''t reply. I swear by the sea, there''s a smile tugging at his lips as he flips a page. I sigh. There has to be a way through this. He has always given me a hint. What was the hint? He moved a mine away and made it puff up, deflate, and move it back. I wonder if I can do that. Well, not at my level. So he just wants me to go through it, and reach his side. To move forward, everything except for my fins and tail can go numb. This is going to be an excruciating experiment.


    I steel myself. Here goes nothing. I headbutt the first blowfish, flicking it upwards. It puffs up, causing a ripple effect; the others on its side start puffing up and sticking together. I use a small gentle airblast to blow the other one away. And just before it puffs up, I slam my head against it, moving it aside. I repeat this vicious cycle as I power through the minefield. My head throbs, my back stings, my belly aches. One fin stops moving, but my tail, I make sure my tail is not affected. I feel like I''m dying but I must press on. I refuse to give up. I grit my teeth as my other fin begins to freeze. Over my dead body.


    Ow! Pain burns me as I continue to headbutt, blow gusts of wind, and flip my tail as fast as possible until I make it to the other side. My head is swelling, mostly bruised and battered, out of breath. I crumple into a heap on the sand. I don''t think I can go on any further. I gasp, struggling to breathe, exhausted, and accidentally inhale some sand. I splutter. Everything hurts¡ªunresponsive.


    As I wait for the paralysis to cease, I glance at my master. Why is he so tough? As my fins and tail start to tremble I force my body up and finally announce to him with half my lips still swelling: "I''m here now. Can we go eat yet?"


    Long Fei puts his book back in his sleeve, and with a flick of his wrist, he extracts a few blowfish from the labyrinth, summoning a bubble around them, and air cooks it. The aroma of air-cooked pufferfish tickles my nose, drool drips from my half-swollen lips. He presses a few acupressure points on my body and the pain subsides. I wriggle and open my mouth. Why didn''t he do this earlier?


    My master''s eyes soften as he feeds me and pats my head. "Well done, for getting this far."


    A smile trembles on my swollen lips. At last, a rare praise from him.


    If I knew that pufferfish were this delicious, I would have eaten them all. Maybe in the future, I should give my obstacles a taste first before charging in.


    Then, my body shudders, and I lurch. A bright ethereal light engulfs me as I float away. Heat prickles my skin, and my heart races. Am I evolving?

 Chapter 7: Worth It!

    My body prickles with heat as my muscles stretch beyond their capacity, like an elastic band ready to snap. My heart pounds furiously like a powerhouse as newfound strength courses through my veins. My fins and tail double in size. My throbbing headache disappears. What is that? I can hear the gentle whispers of the sea and see the tiny sea monkeys floating by. Oh, this is going to be good.


    I look down and see my master looking up at me, a smile tugging at his lips, his glistening eyes softening. The divine light explodes and then disappears as I sink back to where he is. I turn my head back; this is great, more range. My fins can''t reach my eyes yet. But when I flip it, it feels stronger. I give myself a whirl, swimming around in circles. Yes, I have to be faster. Bouncing with excitement.


    I ask him. "So, how do I look? What do you think?"


    "You''re double the size as what you were."


    "Yes, I evolved to be the stronger version of myself. I can''t wait to test out the elemental powers I can use in this form."


    He immediately summons air and wraps me around a bubble, preventing me from moving.


    "Wait, you don''t know how your body''s going to act yet. Don''t even think about trying an elemental blast."


    I¡¯m about to retort, but my vision blurs, my head clouds up and the world darkens.


    ***


    I wake up to my surprise, in an opulent room made of coral walls and the aroma of sweet perfume as gentle hands brush through my hair. I look up and see a beautiful woman wearing a crown. In the corner of my eyes, I can see her golden iridescent tail shimmering, reflecting the light. She must be royalty to the Merfolks. She tenderly smiles at me as she brushes my hair. I can get used to this, this feels good. I try to open my mouth, but I can''t seem to move or talk either. I thought evolving was supposed to be a good thing. Why am I worse off than before?


    She starts humming a sweet melody. "Not to worry, sweet child. You''ll be up and about before you know it. Just give it a few hours. You just need to be detoxed."


    In this bright opulent chamber, the King of Merfolks is talking to my master, stroking his beard. "Elder, why did you bring her here?"


    They must be talking about me. I can feel my ears burning. Or maybe that''s just poison.


    Elder Long Fei snaps his head back at me, and his eyes soften. "I believe she''s awake now. Perhaps it''s time you tell her about her history."


    The Queen stops humming, then says, "It might be too soon, don''t you think? Or maybe we just ask her if she wants to know." She turns to me, giving an encouraging nod.


    I tried to answer, but my mouth wasn''t responding. Locking my eyes with my master''s, he seems to be able to read my mind.


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    "I believe that she may be still numb from the poison..."


    The King asks, "What poison did you give her?"


    "I didn''t give her any poison, I was training her with leopard pufferfish."


    "Leopard pufferfish as training! How many did you have?"


    Long Fei remains silent.


    The King rubs his temples, saying, "Nobody in this realm trains with them. I don''t know how you train in the Celestial Realm, but nobody trains with poison here."


    The Queen pats my head, comforting me. "Oh my. You poor child."


    The Elder clears his throat. "This one is unique. On her first day here, she attacked a sea monster. And she was only half the size she is now."


    The monarchs shake their heads, share a glance, then look at me. Then she darts over to her dressing table, takes a vial out, and pours its contents on my head. Stardust appears and my body cools down as though I''d been washed by the tender soothing of the sea. Ah...


    "Thank you," I whisper. The words spill out of my mouth. I can speak now. "Am I in trouble?"


    Long Fei shakes his head.


    The King observes, then says, "Are you sure she came from the egg we gave you?"


    "Yes. I watched her hatch."


    The Queen gasps, "But it isn''t supposed to hatch for another millennia."


    "That could explain a lot. She is behaving very differently from what I expected."


    "Hey, I''m still in the room, you know."


    "As you can see, she is quite an animated character."


    The monarchs give a melodic laugh. "Maybe she should start schooling here with the Merfolk children. Although there are not many whales around here."


    "Does schooling involve powering up?" I ask.


    The Queen replies, "You''ll meet other children, and you''ll learn how to read and write."


    "No thanks. No need to torture me. I get enough of that already."


    My master covers his face, his ears reddening.


    "Wait, so this is not supposed to happen? I thought evolving meant that I get bigger and stronger. Well, I got bigger, but I can''t seem to move."


    The Queen patiently answers. "That''s because you''re still getting detoxed from the poison in you. Pufferfish poison is quite lethal. That''s probably why you evolve so quickly. It''s an unorthodox method of training, but in your case it was successful."


    I try to move my body again, and it does seem to respond now. I start to float, and I flip my fins as fast as possible, and crash into the coral wall, leaving a crack. Oops! I didn''t realise that I improved that much.


    "Okay, looks like I''m ready for training now. I can''t wait to try my elemental air blast. It must have gotten stronger."


    The King gives me a puzzled look. "She''s not even using elemental water? She''s a child of the Sea. It doesn''t make any sense."


    "I told you she is special. She used an advanced air technique on her first day to fend off a sea monster. She may have inherited some traits from my cultivation."


    The King approaches me, raises his hand, and appraises me as he sends water rippling around me. "Her energy is so chaotic." He rubs his temple.


    "What would you suggest me to do with her? I can''t bring her to the Celestial Realm in that form. She won''t be able to survive. She needs the water for now. How long do you expect for her to evolve into her next form?"


    "How about you both stay as our guests here? We''ll let her rest and we''ll come back to this tomorrow. This is unprecedented. I''ll have to think about it." The Sovereign of the Sea calls for one of his servants.


    We follow the servant to our guest chamber. The palace is extravagant, filled with wonderfully colored corals. The guards bow their heads as Elder Long Fei passes by. This is such a huge upgrade from our gloomy cave.


    The servant closes the door behind us.


    "Master, I''m dying to know my results. It has to be a huge jump."


    He unfurls a parchment in front of me, then heads off to a seat and commences his cultivation.


    The parchment read: Courage: Level 11, Elemental Power: Level 10, Physical Power: Level 12, Strategy: Level 10, Agility: Level 10, and Speed: Level 11.


    Yes! Poison training was brutal, but the results are undeniable. I can''t wait to see what tomorrow brings.

 Chapter 8: Dont Leave Me

    I wake up finding an empty chamber. No air-cooked krill for breakfast today. The palace rules must be different. I sniff the water, following the scent of my master. He''s in the throne room. The guards cross their spears, blocking my way at the door.


    "No one is allowed to enter. While the Elder is talking to His Majesty," a guard says.


    "No, that''s okay. I''m with the Elder. I''m his guardian".


    They look at each other, and one says, "Look kid, just swim along. This is not a place for you to play."


    This infuriates me. My nose starts flaring. I clench my teeth. "I said, I''m with the Elder."


    The guard grits his teeth. "I said, swim along."


    I take a deep breath. And with all my might, I let out an air blast. The palace rumbles, and the two guards fly through the throne door, unhinging it.


    Crash!


    A gaping hole in a broken wall stood in front of me. I slam my jaw shut.


    Long Fei snaps at me. "Ling Yue!"


    "What? I asked them to let me through nicely, but they told me to swim along."


    "It''s highly improper to interrupt a private conversation between the Elder and the Monarch."


    He floats towards me, an unnerving aura emanating from him. I''ve never seen him like this before. My body trembles. Uh-oh. I may have gone too far. He swiftly presses a few acupoints on my body. Sharp pain sears through me. My body convulses.


    "You hurt the guards when they were doing their job. As punishment, I have sealed your Air Elemental Power. You can no longer use it until you learn to control your temper."


    "You can''t do that!"


    "Try me."


    I try to use the vacuum technique, but he''s right! I can''t sense the air molecules anymore. I try an air blast. Nothing. It feels empty. My body feels different. Tears well in my eyes. I didn''t know how scary he could be. I knew he was powerful. But to have the power to take away mine? That''s terrifying!


    "Those won''t work on me. We''re guests here, and you must learn to behave like a guest. You can''t destroy your gracious host''s property. By attacking the guards you disrespect His Majesty. That''s unacceptable."


    He takes a deep breath. Then he helps the fallen guards up. He gestures his head towards the guard, his eyes glaring at me.


    I stutter, "I''m, sorry."


    They give an awkward nod as they return to their station.


    I approach the King. He doesn''t look upset, more amused. But to placate my master, I said, "Your Majesty, I''m sorry for my behavior. I won''t do it again."


    The King leans forward and strokes his beard. "I haven''t seen a scene like that ever. My guards have never been thrown back like that by just a roar."


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    He glances at the Elder, who nods, then returns his gaze towards me.


    "The Elder has agreed to leave you here with me so you can learn how to use the Elemental Water. It looks like you might make my guards train harder."


    A sudden wave overwhelms me and I panic. This emotion, I couldn''t hold it in. Wailing and darting to my master.


    "I''m sorry, I won''t do it again. Don''t abandon me."


    Shocked by my outburst, Long Fei''s eyes soften. "I''ll be back before you evolve. They can teach you new techniques using water. You are a creature of the Sea after all. You should learn more about your heritage."


    I sniffled, holding back sobs. "How would you know if I''d leveled up if you''re not around?"


    "The King will keep me up to date. You would have figured out yesterday that he knows your level. He can update you on your progress."


    "But do you have to go? I''ll behave from now on. You don''t need to leave."


    "The Crown Prince has summoned me. I need to head back to the Celestial Realm. It''s perfect timing for you to stay here and learn more. When the King tells me you''re almost ready, I''ll be back. Besides, you need to pay for that damage."


    If my fins can reach my face, I would cover it in shame. My face reddens. I can''t believe this is happening. He''s leaving me.


    He turns to the King and says, "Your Majesty, feel free to train her as you see fit. She can handle it."


    "Thank you, Elder. I''ll take good care of her. And thank you for being my guest. We shall keep in contact."


    Then, like a gust of wind, he disappears.


    The King sighs and shakes his head before looking at me tenderly. "I can''t believe he trained you with pufferfish. He''s one intimidating immortal."


    "He''s not that bad. He did cook it for me afterward."


    The King''s eyes widen. "So he did feed you poison."


    Oops, I don''t think my master will appreciate me revealing that.


    I laugh nervously. "Well, there''s no harm done."


    "Well, you will be rest assured that my training regime will not include any poison whatsoever."


    "Uh, how will I pay for the door given my fins are too short to fix it? What do you want me to do?"


    He chuckles and then strokes his beard, his eyes distant. Then his face lights up, as a grin spreads across his face, and his eyes sparkle. "How would you feel about going on a quest?"


    "A quest? Yes! Adventure Time! Where do I have to go? What do I have to do?"


    He rises from his throne and moves towards the door. The guards standing there salute him as their face reddens. He shakes his head as he passes them, gesturing me to follow him. As I pass them, I dip my head, unable to look at them in the eyes anymore.


    The King leads me to where I was yesterday and hands me to the Queen.


    "I''m going on the quest with the Queen?"


    "What a delight." She hugs me.


    "Ling Yue, she''s one of our best warriors. I shall leave you two to get better acquainted while I go back to matters of the court."


    I laugh nervously. This is seriously unexpected. I thought she would be a delicate royal.


    "Your Majesty, you may not know why I''m here."


    "Of course I do. You tore down the throne room door. Now you have to pay for it."


    "How did you know? It wasn''t that long ago."


    "With water elemental magic in the Ocean Realm, the water whispers to us about everything. Nothing passes us."


    "Then how do you keep your secrets? Especially national secrets. Wouldn''t everybody, like the whole town, know what you talk about?"


    "Only a select few highly skilled individuals can hear everything. Ordinary merfolk don''t have that skill. The only other person in this realm, besides myself, is the King. So there are no secrets between us."


    "Um, if you haven''t noticed, I''m a whale. I am nothing like you. How can I learn this?"


    "Oh, my sweet child. I thought you heard our conversation yesterday that we gifted you to the Elder. Don''t you understand what that means?"


    "No, not really. He''s not exactly the talkative type."


    She laughs melodically. "Oh, I see. In a nutshell, you''re supposed to be the guardian of the sea."


    "Wait, I thought I was his guardian."


    "We have an understanding with him. You have dual guardianship. That''s also probably why you have two elemental powers."


    Dual guardianship? Sounds like more work. But I like the sound of two elemental powers. It would make it easier for me to carve my legend!


    I nod my head thoughtfully. Little does she know that my master always comes first. The Ocean Realm can wait.


    "What exactly am I protecting you from? You seem more capable than me."


    "For now, yes we are. But in the future, we may not be capable. You may become stronger than us. Like all other kingdoms, we have our enemies. I can tell you now that I won''t be able to defeat an Abyssal Leviathan on my own. Hopefully, if it ever comes to attack us, you''ll be strong enough to defend." The Queen says, her eyes hardening. Her shift in tone makes me wonder, how dangerous is this creature?


    Then she gets up and smiles sweetly. "It''s time for a quest now. Follow me. I''ll take you somewhere where only guardians can go. And no Merfolks have ever been there. No ordinary ones, anyway. So, be prepared to be amazed. There should be a lot of treasure there."


    I don''t know what she expects from me. But for now, I''m just happy there''s treasure.

 Chapter 9: Into the Deep

    The Queen leads me out of the palace, and we pass many guards who bow to her. They glance at each other, surprised to see me following her, and then they shrug.


    Once we are out of the palace grounds, she turns to me and says, "Ling Yue, try to keep up, I''ll race you down to the border." She darts off her tails flicking at an astounding speed, leaving bubbles in my face.


    I try to keep up and flip my fins and tail as fast as possible. But I can see her getting smaller in the distance ahead. I observe the way she flips her tail and the lack of arm use, so I try to copy. I stop flipping my fins. Instead of flipping my tail side to side, I force it to go up and down. It felt strange at first, counterintuitive, but my body propelled forward. I can''t deny the results; my speed quickens.


    It feels good to be able to overtake other sea creatures as I chase after Her Majesty. Unlike the time I lost against a big-belly seahorse.


    I find her waiting for me at the border. She gracefully perches on a boulder, combing her hair as I pant my heart out.


    "Your Majesty, you''re faster than I expected."


    She giggles softly. "Why, thank you. Watch this." She winks and puts a finger on her lips. She gets down from the boulder and hides behind it. A school of squid floats by in the distance, minding their own business. She peeks over the boulder, waves her finger, and a tendril of water flicks against one squid. It panics and squirts out black ink, causing the whole school to squirt out black ink. She quickly hides behind the boulder. In the cloud of black ink, the school of squid turn towards me and glare at me. I laugh nervously.


    The Queen stifles her laughter, her body trembling.


    "Uh... Your Majesty, they''ve gone now. Thanks for making me your scapegoat."


    She floats back up. "I know they''re gone. Do you want to learn how to do that?"


    My eyes light up. "Yes, please!"


    I envision myself being able to use water tendrils to whip all the guards. A devilish grin spreads across my face.


    "Hm... I don''t know if I should teach you now... Something tells me you''ll be whipping my guards with it."


    My eyes widen. "How did you know? Did the water whisper that to you? You can read thoughts?"


    She laughs melodically, "No, I can''t read your thoughts. I can read your face. You''ve got a grin that puts demons to shame."


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    Phew! I was worried there. I just need to control my facial expressions around her from now on.


    She pauses, lightly tapping her finger on her chin. "I suppose, it wouldn''t hurt to show you the basics for now."


    She summons a water bubble; it''s more viscous and a different hue of blue from an air bubble. "Can you sense the condensed water in the bubble?"


    I close my eyes, concentrating on the bubble. I can''t tell the difference, and I shake my head.


    "Are you sure? Keep your eyes closed. How about now?"


    I concentrate harder. "No, I can''t tell. Everything feels the same..."


    "Hm... how about now?"


    Smack! A tendril of water hit me on the head. "Ow! No wonder I got those glares."


    Her Majesty giggles. "You can open your eyes now. I bet you will be able to sense it tomorrow."


    Her teaching method is so different from Master''s. My fins are too short to rub the sting. This is so unfair!


    "We should head off before it gets dark. On with the quest, since you''ve learned how to use your tail for speed, and the basics of feeling elemental water. We''ll go for a leisurely swim to our destination."


    We swim around the cloud of squid ink, schools of fish, pods of dolphins, and sea turtles enjoying the tranquil sea. The vibrant coral gardens begin to disappear as more jagged rocks appear and the water becomes murky. Less life forms venture out here. When I say less, I mean just the two of us.


    Then we arrive at an unsettling, desolate place, with big bubbles floating up. The water is heating up. Is this what it feels like to get cooked? My instincts overwhelm me, screaming danger ahead. The Ocean is eerily quiet.


    "Your Majesty, maybe we should head back... I have a bad feeling about this."


    The Queen turns around, standing precariously near the edge of a cliff, "Oh, don''t be silly. We''ll be fine." A burst of bubbles float behind her.


    Then gigantic orange-red tentacles unfurl as they emerge. My heart skips a beat, and I slowly back away. My bad feelings never betray me.


    She slowly turns her head, her eyes widen, mouth agape, as another giant tentacle wraps itself around her body and lifts her. She bangs her fists against it, trying to free herself. The head of the sea monster emerges from the abyss.


    My jaws drop open as it dawns on me who we just ran into. "Ah! The Kraken!"


    "Ling Yue! Save yourself! Forget about me!" the Queen yells.


    I start sweating profusely. I wasn''t sure whether I should run for help or do something. But then the Queen has been good to me. She''s going to be fish food if I leave her!


    Here goes nothing. I strike it with my strongest move. I let out a roar and nothing happened, not even a breeze. Oh, for Ocean''s sake! I don''t have that power anymore. It would have been handy right about now. If I live to tell this tale I will remind my master about the consequences of taking away my power.


    So, I have no elemental magic to use at the moment. I survey the surroundings. There''s nothing around. I''ll try to thrash the beast with my tail. With all my might, I whip my tail against the Kraken''s head. It didn''t even flinch. That probably tickled it. Its body begins to shudder. I don''t know if it''s angry or laughing.


    Think! The only thing I can think of is my headbutt.


    "Let go of her!" I dart toward the tentacle holding the royal captive and slam my head against it.


    My body gets stuck in the tentacle. I use my fins to wriggle free but to no avail. Looks like I have a one-way ticket to the underworld.