Nearby, I noticed a couple of klevonian trying to sneak closer to the bubble to reach Za'Fia. They were likely friends of the other klevonian's and my Heart's Eye revealed their intention to be a murderous black. Thankfully, before anything happened, the Crest Head summoned white-blue water around them that seemed to force their bodies to go limp.
"What was that...?"
The Waters of Numbness. The sacred gift the Sacred Guardian shares with the Crest Head of the Marine District. It produces drowsy effects on those the water touches. The experience can be intriguing or terrifying, depending on the person, I suppose...
Once the Crest Head and her personal guards are told about what transpired with the klevonian Za'Fia faced, Flow assured us that she would be reprimanded later for causing such destruction over her petty emotions, and more importantly, attacking a visiting Crest Head's entourage.
Za'Fia was then given a droplet to help mend her wounds. As the Crest Head and her guards spoke to the nearby observers about the situation, I made sure Za'Fia was healing up okay. Once I saw she was, I laughed lightly.
"So, you can breathe fire? Like an actual dragon?" I asked, impressed.
Za'Fia chuckled painfully and said, "It hurts like hell, dislocated my jaw, and left my mouth tasting charred, but turns out it's effective."
I looked outside the bubble and saw how many buildings and stone structures were now destroyed.
"If it's this destructive in water, I wonder how destructive those attacks would've been on dry land with actual fire," I mused aloud.
"Nah," Za'Fia shook her head as she rubbed her throat. "I can't use it often. It causes too much self-damage."
Avarice snorted before finally commenting after everything.
"You've given yourself a powerful technique. Learn to moderate it so you can use it without hurting yourself. Don't disregard it." He demonstrated by creating a ball of sonic vibrations, violently swirling around the palm of his hand, then fired it toward a nearby piece of coral. It shot with enough force to throw his shoulder back and unnecessarily destroyed the coral and the things around it. Then he did it again, refining the spinning soundwaves before firing. This time, only the intended target was damaged, and he wasn't harmed in the process.
You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.
"Hm...I'll keep that in mind...," Za'Fia said, both of us surprised that he offered some helpful advice.
When the Crest Head returned to us, she was like a completely different person than she had been before.
"Hello!" she said, her vibes now ecstatic. "Look at you all! You're all so skinny! I tell you what, we'll prepare you a meal for your troubles. What type of dish would you like to eat?"
"Fish would be delightful," Avarice answered bluntly.
The Crest Head and her bodyguards looked at him in stunned silence.
"We are in the sea, are we not? Of course, I'd desire seafood. Or do you expect me to dine on kelp and seaweed?" Avarice continued, unfazed by the awkwardness.
Pota and Flow shared a brief look before they started laughing.
"You're a brash one, you," Pota said lightheartedly.
"Indeed, he is," Flow agreed in a pleasant mood. "We were surprised by your request. Most avoid asking for sea delicacies because they view it as insensitive, but rest assured, we do prepare them."
"I'm terribly sorry for that," I said, despite them not seeming bothered.
"No worries," Flow responded. "It's us who should be apologizing for my people's rudeness. But let's put that behind us. For now, you need to eat! Hey, excuse me, darling," she placed a hand on the shoulder of one of the pneumarians that'd arrived with a squad dispatched to the scene.
"I know you're very busy, but I must run off to prepare a feast for our guests. This is the Crest Head of the Chimera District. You will escort her to my home," she instructed the pneumarian, who then nodded with understanding.
"Okay! I will see you all momentarily. Don't worry, we can prepare tons of delicious food in a very short amount of time. By the time you all arrive, there'll be a feast waiting for you! See you soon!" Flow and her personal guards then rushed off in a stream of water.
Before they hurried off, I heard Pota say something like, "Cephalopod! Imma chop up that kraken real good. Make a dish theya neva forget!"
And Naiada excitedly yelled, "Ohh, there are so many desserts I want them to try! How do I choose which is best!?"
"So, is it just me, or did the Crest Head's personality suddenly flip?" Za'Fia pointed out as we made our way to the Crest House.
You did not imagine it, Viraa confirmed. It is a quirk that some love her for, and others fear. Flow is like the ocean itself, powerful yet flippant. One minute, her personality can be calm and welcoming. The next, it can be unpredictable and unforgiving. Her people try their best to keep her in pleasant moods since she has been known to destroy parts of her city as the water reacts to her wrath. Even the sea life goes berserk if they are too close when her mood darkens.
"That sounds like a lot of trouble for her people," Za'Fia said, to which Viraa laughed.
Perhaps to an outsider, but just as natives of a tropical area on Earth grow accustomed to tropical storms, the natives of the Marine District are accustomed to her sudden shifts.
The Crest House was a royal building made of various materials like marble, shells, and many other stones that presented a beautiful aquatic architecture. It was within a chunk of the inner city of Mystus, built within one of the bubble landmarks, making it easier for non-residents to travel through. Before we fully arrived at the Crest House, we could smell the aroma that sifted through its cracks and windows. They were unlike any food we'd ever smelled before, but were still mouth-watering.
When we opened the door and headed up the stairs into the throne room, a large feast was already prepared. In fact, Flow and Naiada were still cooking, though Naiada seemed only to be making desserts.
"You made it! Fantastic," Flow screeched. "Eat! Fill those bellies! I guarantee you'll enjoy it."
Avarice was the first to move. He initially seemed interested in partaking, reaching out to grab a seafood delicacy to taste, until he looked around and noticed others in the large room. Other tables. It was like a restaurant. But that wasn't the part that made us become skeptical. Each person at the tables, cindarian or otherwise, was overstuffed, their bellies nearly about to pop.