The Challenge of the Masters

⊱⊰ 12: Home [Revised] ⊱⊰

"Is there something wrong with that necklace?" asked Kazuya.

Arisa dropped her gaze from the item and looked at the boy sitting opposite to her, blinking.

"You've been staring at it since this morning," he continued.

"Have I been focusing on it for that long?" she wondered.

Kazuya replied with a nod. Arisa tilted her head and looked back at the silvery blue orb that had a marine green spiral. She remembered the curious looking creatures she saw in her dream.

"I think it communicated with me last night," she said, breaking the brief silence.

Kazuya's eyes widened and he shifted slightly from his seat.

"How?" he asked, his tone surprised. "Wasn't it supposed to communicate with us through telepathy?"

Arisa rubbed the necklace's pendant, remembering the conversation she had with her mother in the Astral Sanctum. She had told her that once enough Guardians were gathered, Eklipta would communicate with them through telepathy.

"What did it say?" asked Kazuya, his tone curious.

"Nothing much," Arisa replied, sighing. "Though, I think it tried to give me clues as it introduced me to the Masters."

Kazuya's brows raised. "So you've met them; how were they?"

Memories of her dream washed her mind as she remembered the glowing forest and the blind boy with the curious looking beast by his side. Goosebumps crawled in her skin as she remembered the singing woman's cold words and how Arisa could still feel the pressure she felt underwater.

"Two of them looked like humans," she said, her tone quiet. "Though, one of them had a strange beast walking with him. I saw a huge dragon fly by and although I didn't interact with it, I suspect that it's also one of the Masters."

At the mention of the scarlet dragon, she took a deep breath, trying to imagine her team fighting a creature of that size.

"So we'll fight a dragon and two human-looking beings," said Kazuya, relaxing on his seat. "It doesn't seem like we'll have a lot of trouble fighting them."

A quick giggle escaped Arisa's lips. "Didn't aunt Elise tell you not to judge a book by its cover? Appearances can fool our eyes sometimes."

"I know," said Kazuya, folding his arms. "I just don't think that we'll have a lot of trouble."

Arisa shook her head, thinking that Kazuya's overconfidence was the one underestimating their future opponents. She remembered her grandparents telling her that having a bit of confidence can be good as it showed an individual's strength and independence. But seeing her childhood friend, Arisa couldn't help but think that too much confidence could also be an individual's downfall.

"Maybe we might not fight one of the human-looking Masters," said Arisa. "One of them had a large beast made of rocks and plants walking by its side, it called it Gaia and I think we will fight it, instead of the boy."

Kazuya raised a brow at the mention of Gaia.

"Salacia, the one I suspect was the Master of Water," continued Arisa, "can read feelings and manipulate them, so we shouldn't let our guard down."

Arisa touched her chest, remembering how the Master of Water awakened negative feelings. Even though that was only a dream, she still felt sorrow and sadness spreading in her veins.

"They are really strong," said Arisa, her voice quiet.

"Their unbelievable power is to be expected, though." Kazuya shifted a bit on his seat. "We were so smart to give the Elements a way to protect themselves in case they fell in the wrong hands."