Realm Wars

A while before.

Ryu was leaping towards the Ancient Hydra. He didn't know if he could scratch its scales, nor did he knew what to do against a powerful opponent. He let his instincts took over.

But once he was near the Ancient Hydra, he realized how minuscule of existence he was. Compared to it, it could smash him to pieces if it so desired.

Fortunately, the Ancient Hydra didn't seem to notice him until he was near the cave. With his gauntlets in his hands, he was about to attack its massive body with all his strength when a voice called out to him.

'You've come.'

Ryu blinked. The voice came inside the cave, and he forgot about the Hydra like he was under some kind of spell. 

'Come inside.'

Ryu snarled and shook his head. He reminded himself that Cecily and the others were still fighting the Ancient Hydra, and he had to help them.

But the voice kept vibrating in his mind like he couldn't resist it. It was compelling him to heed its call. Something inside him wanted to follow that voice.

With a leap of his foot, Ryu effortlessly hovered from one rock to the another until he was in the mouth of the cave while the Ancient Hydra just let him do as he pleased. Its attention was on the others like Ryu was invincible in its eyes.

Inside, the cave was refreshing, contrary to Ryu's expectations. It was like a constant cold breeze blew its interiors so it wouldn't be damp and musky. It was wet through but refreshing nonetheless.

'We've been waiting for you.'

Waiting for him? 

Ryu was confused, but he didn't have time to ask when beneath the shadow of the cave appeared a man with long bluish hair that waved into the rocky ground of the cave. Its white skin was paler than pearls, with his upper chest glistened like it was always wet.

He was only wearing torn pants. Not even shoes nor anything to protect himself against the cold or heat.

But Ryu felt like he couldn't even dream of scratching him.

Ryu took a fighting stance. "Who are you?"

The man's head moved up a little. His arrogance was apparent on his handsome face, but his cold facial features remained still.

"You may call me, Yuu. I am the guardian of this cave. A loyal servant of Tethyt."

Tethyt! Ryu's eyes rounded before it turned to slit. It was not him. The voice that called him was a woman.

Yuu eased his stance, but his serious face didn't loosen. "We've been expecting you for thousands of years, oh holder of the fate of Septverden."

Ryu was even more confused. His brows knitted. I didn't know what the man was saying. He opened his mouth, but Yuu turned his back at him.

"Come. My master is expecting you for a very long time."

"Wait!" Ryu called, but Yuu already disappeared behind the shadows.

Ryu hesitated. He looked outside the cave. The battle with the Ancient Hydra was ongoing, but it seemed like the cave was cut from the outside world. No noise nor rattles of the fight outside penetrated its walls.

Cecily was in danger. Ryu reminded himself, but the urge to discover what inside grows stronger by the minute. It seemed like whoever was in there knew about him.

"Don't worry about them." 

Yuu's voice rang in all corners of the cave. 

"As long as they don't hit the Hydra's head, they'll live."

What's with the head? Rather, Ryu didn't like the sound of that. He wanted to turn back and protect Cecily. He didn't even know Yuu nor what danger lay ahead.

But that insatiable urge to know what's inside and unravel what Yuu was talking about continued to grow until it overpowered everything else. Ryu followed Yuu deeper in the cave.

Ryu swept his surroundings, but it was too dark to perceive anything. Even with his night vision, he couldn't see a thing. He took a whiff, but there was no smell. He tried to reach for something, but it seemed that he was in hollowed space.

When he came too, he found himself in the ocean. The violent splash of the wind ruffled his hair, and the waves soaked his clothes.

Ryu looked over his shoulder, and the cave was gone. He was now standing on a rock surrounded by nothing but the ocean. Dark clouds so dense covered the sky, the waters were so deep, and the waves were so huge that it felt like he would be swallowed by it.

Ryu held his breath. Just what happened?

'So you've come.'

The clouds parted, and with it came lights. Sparkling particle came down from the light, and it materialized into a creature so huge Ryu didn't know possible. 

It was even bigger than the Ancient Hydra!

Her face was human-like with mermaid's ears and tentacle-like red hair. Half her body was human, but the rest were scales and fins, and mesmerizing blue dust sparkled all over her body like stars and galaxies.

She was. .. breathtaking in every sense of the word.

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'My name is Tethyt, one of the seven Gods that ruled Septverden a long, long time ago.'

Ryu's fine hair stood on the edge, and he was startled when out of nowhere, Yuu appeared.

'It looks like you are in distress.'

Distress? Ryu was agitated! He was surrounded by creatures he didn't know he could defeat. If ever he was attacked by them, then it could only be his fault for being lured inside the cave.

'Don't panic. Allow me to take a form that is most comfortable to you.'

At Tethyt's voice, she turned into water and appeared in front of Ryu in the form of a human that hovered in the air. Her air was glowing white as well as her skin, and she appeared more like an angel than anything else.

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"Is this form comfortable for you now?"