Chapter XXXVI: To Follow
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Y/N GOT CLOSER to the dinosaur-capped boy, knowing how dangerous the situation is. Boboiboy didn't mind the closeness as his caramel brown eyes remained glaring upon the mysterious mermaid, Ymeriah. "I was expecting to see you, elf," Ymeriah started, swimming closer which made the two move backwards, feeling cautious of her. "What do you want with her─ I mean him," Boboiboy paused at the mistake since he was getting used to knowing Y/n was a female.
"Worry not, I know everything. I know that you are Princess Serena's little elf playmate," She started, her voice sounded mischievous and evil. "I do not want anything to do with her personally but it was not for King Lunos then I would not be here," She scoffed. "What... what did he do?" Y/n asked in reluctance, she didn't want to know the things her brother have done but inside, she was really curious. "Oh nothing much, he just decided that the artefact needs a little visit with a few of his... subjects," Ymeriah replied.
"What?" Y/n breathed in surprise, not understanding the main intentions of her brother. It's like she didn't know him anymore, it's like they were strangers now. "Aquarius knew not of his intentions and welcomed him in hospitality, which... caused the downfall of poor Aquarius," Ymeriah laughed out. "What did he do to the Gem of Water?" Y/n felt her breathing getting heavy, her heart was racing, too afraid to know in truth.
"Hm? Well, my dear, that is for me to know... and for you to find out," Ymeriah said in a sing-song voice as she narrowed her eyes at the two who suddenly tensed at her gesture. Y/n held the back of Boboiboy's shirt, feeling anxious out of nowhere. Something what her brother had done made her feel somewhat responsible for all of it. "F/n?" The elemental hero worriedly called her, noticing that she wasn't feeling well.
Evil laughter erupted from Ymeriah, feeling proud of what she has done to the poor elf. It was all words, is Y/n even ready to take on the general in terms of strength? "Poor little Y/n, feeling responsible for King Lunos' actions," she laughed again, revealing the girl's real name in front of her friend. But, she didn't care if she was exposed, all she had in thought was Lunos and the horrible things that he have caused. Boboiboy didn't comment on the name and focused on his friend.
He didn't know why she felt so affected by Ymeriah's words. 'Why would she even feel responsible for the King's actions? Did the prophecy really caused a huge chaos in Lluminaria?' He internally wondered in bewilderment. "Stop..." Y/n started, feeling furious at thought of someone taunting her. "Or what? You will use your little magic on me and save everyone? Hilarious," General Ymeriah continued.
"That's enough," Boboiboy intervened as if he was spitting venom, his eyes glared daggers upon the Glamouran mermaid who looked satisfied of what she has done. "You are not Ymeriah, you are being controlled by the artefact," Y/n added in a serious voice. "No, this is the new me," Ymeriah opened her arms wide in gesture to herself.
"WATCH OUT!"
Boboiboy and Y/n flinched before moving away from their place. The two blinked in confusion, seeing a blinking Gopal floating in the ocean water like it was nothing. "Gopal?" Boboiboy questioned in confusion. Gopal didn't answer and just pointed towards a group of mermen guards entering the throne room as Yaya, Ying, Fang and even Coral tried to stall them with all the best that they could do. "What is going on?" Boboiboy asked them.
"It is Ymeriah! Stay back, she can absorb any kind of magic like what she did to Princess Serena!" Coral spilled out to the two, their eyes widening for different reasons. 'She absorbed Serena's magic?' Y/n gritted her teeth, feeling anger seeping through her. Acting out of her mind, she swam forward but was pulled back by the elemental hero. He gave her a glare before trying trying snap her out. "Didn't you hear what he said?" He began.
"She can absorb magic so that means you can't come any closer to her!" Boboiboy continued before pulling her from behind him. "I'll handle her, I don't use magic so it will be okay, you try to see if there will be any danger while I fight. Protect me from behind, got it?" He strictly leaned towards her, to get her to agree with his order. Y/n didn't say anything and nodded her head in agreement to him. "Good, let me know when you need any help, I'll use my elemental split power if you do," he nodded, messing her hair before turning back to Ymeriah.
Y/n blinked at the display of affection that he gave her before shaking it off to focus in trying to protect him from behind. She was still recovering from the information Ymeriah spilled, so she may not do the best job in fighting like she usually does.
"Ymeriah, you'll be going against me if you want to try and attack F/n," Boboiboy glared at the mermaid who just laughed in amusement. "Too afraid to get her to lose her magic? How selfless, now, take this!" Ymeriah started, swinging her arms out, black fireball-like substance being summoned by her. Boboiboy gritted his teeth before using all of his best to dodge those attacks. "Boboiboy Solar!" He immediately transformed after raising his powerwatch.
Once he was able to transform, he glared at his opponent. "You want a fight? Then light against dark it is," he pointed out to Ymeriah. The best choice to defeat her right now was his light element, Y/n did say she was oozing with dark magic. Even after seeing her attacks, it was all dark magic he could see. "Light, huh? Interesting kid you are but, I am not letting you win," she responded, forming another circle-like shape that had black fire surrounding it.
Y/n used her magic to summon her sword that she used previously against the mermen guards earlier. She swam closer to her friends and joined the fight. "F/n!" Yaya exclaimed, seeing the elf join them. Y/n just nodded her head in acknowledgement, waiting for a guard to come and attack her. Sensing one from behind her, she used all of her strength to give him a surprise kick. Once she did, her grip on the handle of her sword tightened before she plunged it on his stomach and soon she took it out.
The same result happened and it made the mermen snap out of trance, his stomach glowing a light orange, the effects of the light magic purifying the dark magic that was controlling them. Magic particles began floating around because of this before Y/n began to find another opponent.
Ying used her foot to land a powerful kick towards an enemy which resulted for him to fall in unconsciousness. Y/n saw this and immediately used the timing and chance to plunge the sword on the stomach of the fallen merman. Like previously, his stomach began glowing a beautiful light orange, magic particles surrounding him. "Woah, that's amazing!" Ying commented in awe, after seeing what Y/n had done. She had decided that Y/n's purifying ability was quite useful for their situation. "Alright! F/n will purify every merman that gets unconscious!" Ying told her friends who nodded their heads in understanding.
"F/n! Behind you there are two!" Fang glanced at the elf before using shadow hands to trap a few mermen guards around. Y/n nodded her head, finding herself a new job and that was to purify and help the mermen guards return to normal. "I am sorry for this," she whispered, slashing them both which made them glower in absolute pain. A bright light orange light began appearing on their wounds, accompanied with various of sizes of magic particles.
Y/n breathed heavily as her eyes unconsciously drifted towards a bright hall to the right which was the opposite way of where Boboiboy and her entered from. Mindlessly, she began swimming there, unable to hear the shouts of confusion from everyone else. Ymeriah said that this was the forbidden part of the castle and Y/n knew that she was hiding something from there. Y/n knew that she needs to know what it was. 'I am sorry, it seems like you will all fight without me,' Y/n internally spoke, feeling slightly guilty about her actions.
"Fool! Where are you going!?" General Ymeriah soon noticed where the (h/c) elf was heading to which might have angered her. Before she could follow the elf and stop her, the light element managed to teleport using his light power and prevent the furious general from catching up to the elf. "I don't think so," he spoke out in anger, pointing his finger which soon caused a bright light to emitting from the tip of his gloved fingers. "Solar forcefield!" He yelled, his pointed fingers circling around the air before he opened his palms, being directed to his adversary.
A transparent-round like structure began trapping General Ymeriah with all of its force. Since the general was quite powerful, it will probably take her only a short while to pe prevented from moving or making any action. Boboiboy Solar side glanced his light elf friend, his thoughts unable to process what she was planning or where she was going.
'I may not know where you're heading but, I trust you with this one F/n. I'll stall her for you, or defeat her for the better,' He internally spoke to himself, watching the (h/c) haired Glamouran swim towards the empty hallway since she took all of the spare time Boboiboy Solar gave her. 'This might be a temporary effect only but it will do,' the Solar element thought out, darting his eyes from Y/n back to his opponent. Ymeriah was banging her fists on the forcefield, getting furious at the fact that she was trapped.
Solar worriedly watched his opponent use all of her strength to escape. She was quite strong and he knew she'll be able to take down the forcefield in no time. He prepared himself for any upcoming attack once he had noticed the tiniest of cracks forming on the smooth surface of his sphere-like substance that was created to prevent anyone from moving for a limited amount of time.
"Alright! Bring it on!" He yelled out, his silver eyes from behind his orange spectacles glared daggers against his adversary. His hands were clenched tightly, he might have to use all of his power to defeat the powerful general. 'Even if I have to use so much of my energy just to stall her and protect F/n, then that's just what I have to do,' Boboiboy Solar gritted his teeth, his venomous and intimidating glare suddenly hardening at his enemy. The though of the said Glamouran elf made him visualise her, slightly worried for her sake.
'You better know what you're doing, Brainy. If you don't come back safe and sound then you're going to get it,' Solar finished.
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Y/n had herself lulled in from a mysterious light which seemed to beckon her towards it. Ymeriah didn't seem to like this and from that, she knew she had come to see what was hidden from the walls of the right wing. Heart beating against her chest, subtly letting her know what she was feeling throughout this whole situation. Various sizes of bubbles emerged, trailing behind her feet as she swam through the place in magnificent wonder. The calm and quiet atmosphere the area possessed embraced her, it was as if serenity was once again king.
Although behind those mysterious binds lays something questionable, something she was hard to get along with. The loathsome scent of the magic only used for iniquitious practices continued to linger around, well hidden than how she usually knew it was. Refraining to react from this distasteful smell, the Lluminarian elf pressed her lips together in a thin line. Bet she wouldn't even miss this spiteful smell for even just a tad bit. Despite that, her heart remain at peace.
Something about this sudden apperance of the bright light had caught her personal interests and her curiosity. There was more to it than just a simple light. Evidently, it conveyed a call, seemingly as if it needed her to follow it. Her body moved on its own but she had managed to snap her thoughts just right after she passed by Ymeriah and Solar. Yet, she did not stop. Y/n knew she didn't have to follow it, but her subconscious was telling her to do so.
'Keep going.'
An impenetrable voice, too complicated to explain, suddenly spoke to her.
Y/n protested not, keeping true to her intentions. She delivered a quiet nod to no one, feeling her body have a mind on its own. Her (e/c) shade of eyes, lingered theirselves towards a mysterious light orange dust delicately floating in the ocean water. Sighting them made their way towards a certain room. Y/n blinked her eyes, having no choice but to follow it. Carefully, she began swimming towards it without making a noise.
And then, she put herself into an abrupt halt. Y/n took her time to contemplate, minding the fact that she was entering a private chamber after all. The doors were rather huge and grand for her liking, the aura emitted something that she couldn't comprehend without feeling intimidated towards the whole area itself. 'Why am I contemplating to go inside?' She internally asked herself, she was obviously nervous but she didn't knew why. The voice called her, it was inviting for her to go in.
Like any other creature, she would be suspicious but something felt new about this mysterious voice. It was comforting. Too comforting that even herself, she was affected. Y/n let out a deep suspiration before looking up again to the huge and yet grand doors. Gathering all of the courage that all she has left from within, she has finally decided that what she was going to do was for the best. Y/n's (e/c) orbs sparked in determination before glancing towards the handles of the said door to the mysterious chamber.
'Well, here I go..'
Her dainty hands held the handles of the door before she used all of her strength to push one of the doors open. A loud creaking sound was being emitted and of course, Y/n couldn't help but cringe whilst flinching in surprise. Once the noise faded away, Y/n had took the time to enter the said room. Closing the door from behind, she swam inside and soon her eyes sparked in interest.
The room was rather voluminous at size. It looked like any other normal room. Well, that's what she thought after sighting the bedside table. On the table looked like a mini painting of the King and Queen of Aquarius, Princess Serena's parents. What Y/n had regretted failing to notice was the king-sized bed in front of her. But that wasn't the thing that caught her attention, it was the fact that the binds were closed. The royal elf could also noticed tiny orbs of light floating around the area.
'If this is the King and Queen's bedroom then that must have mean─' Y/n stopped internally speaking once she felt her heart drop. A panicked look made its way towards her face before she abruptly began swimming to the side of the bed. Y/n sensed a presence from inside the bed which made her breathing become heavy as time passed by. The Lluminarian elf shoved the bind away and Y/n froze at what she saw.
There she saw, the body of the King and Queen laying on the bed with visible black veins on their skins. "Your majesties!" Y/n shrieked in horror, unable to contain herself from expressing her fear and surprise. Their eyes were closed as their chests were rising up and down which made Y/n mentally relieved. But that didn't mean that everything was still okay. They were in a deep slumber, with the scent of dark magic lingering around them.
Their skin looked rather similar to how an artefact would look like if infected by dark magic. She hoped that wasn't the case but, deep inside, she knew it was. 'This must be the reason why Ymeriah did not want us passing by the right wing,' Y/n thought in worry, glancing down to the two Glamouran creatures. 'But, does that mean the Gem of Water is around this side of the castle?' Y/n blinked in wonder, trying to figure out any possible reason why this side was deemed forbidden to the general.
'Yes, my child.'
Y/n flinched at the sudden voice that spoke out of nowhere. "Huh? What?" She absentmindedly let out in bewilderment, not sure if she has indeed heard the voice. 'Worry not, I have tried all of my best for you to come and follow my light,' the mysterious voice have responded in a meek way which made her calm down. "You have brought me here? What are you?" Y/n began straightforwardly, knowing that she was running out of time. Ymeriah could have managed to follow her.
'I am the last and only remaining energy the Gem of Water has emitted before getting fully infected by dark magic. The artefact had decided to fight back against the corruption magic which is the reason I exist,' the mysterious voice echoed.
"It fought back?" Y/n blinked her eyes in surprise to what she had heard. Never had she heard something like this, it was impossible to believe. 'Yes, but I do not only exist to let you see the forbidden but also to make you realise the truth behind the situation you are currently in, Young Bearer,' the voice responded calmly. "Please do elaborate further," Y/n worriedly pleaded, her heart beating faster.
'Young Bearer, the King and Queen have previously decided to check the artefact as they felt something was going to happen with it after King Lunos' visit. But, once they saw the signs of dark magic─General Ymeriah was passing by the forbidden gates which is where the Gem of Water is being kept. She saw how the King and Queen got infected by it as to which she soon rushed towards to save them but unfortunately, it was too late,' the voice started.
'The general's enraged emotions were used against herself and therefore, she was used as a host by the dark magic the artefact possessed,' they finished. Y/n let the information process in before she spoke. "Host? Does that mean..." Y/n trailed off, her (e/c) eyes suddenly widening in realisation. 'Yes, you cannot defeat her by simply purifying her. She absorbs all of the magic used against her,' they confirmed which brought the elf girl to a conclusion.
"I understand what you are saying. This leads us to a conclusion that the only way to defeat the general is to purify not her but the gem itself which is the cost of all this. Defeating Ymeriah would be impossible since the magic will only infect her again," Y/n brought a hand to her chin as she thought out the most logical reasoning and escape to this.
'Absolutely correct, Young Bearer.'
"If I will try to fight her, it would be like asking for a death wish since she will just absorb all of my magic. Boboiboy can hold her off since he is not using magic but would not be able to stop her still, they are par in terms of that. Which means... I have to tell him that he has to purify the Gem of Water rather than fight her," Y/n continued. "That might cause a huge problem, Ymeriah would most likely follow him if he tries to search for the artefact," Y/n pursed her lips in annoyance.
'Young Bearer, I only exist to tell you such information but I know you will succeed.'
Y/n felt a smile forming from her lips. "Thank you, if it meant saving Aquarius and Glamoura then I would be delighted to do so, I would risk my life on the line for that. After all, Princess Serena is still not ready to rule at such young age," Y/n turned to the unconscious figure of her friend's parents. 'She needs her parents to guide her still,' she thought internally. Y/n let a moment passed before sighing in determination. 'I need to find Boboiboy,' she huffed to herself before swimming her way out of the room.
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"Aagh!" Boboiboy Solar clutched to his stomach, glaring at his enemy in absolute loathing. "Hahaha! What? Giving up now? If so, I need to find that filthy little elf!" Ymeriah started, leaving the fight just to search for Y/n who went to the halls of the right wing. The light element snapped out and immediately got more furious at the thought of the mermaid trying to kill the Lluminarian elf he has grown to think like a close friend, the same as his other friends.
Solar used his solar leap to teleport and appear from right in front of the older female. "It's rude to not finish a fight and walk away like it's nothing! Multiple light bullets attack!" He pointed out his fingers that were formed like a gun towards the opponent. Multiple light bullets began emitting from his gloved fingers, each one of them were bright and powerful enough to take down any common enemy.
But unlike any other common enemy, Ymeriah was shown rather too strong to his liking. Which means she was a huge danger especially to magic users like the elf herself. "I am not falling for the same trick again, Caecus knock-off!" General Ymeriah responded as she angrily formed a dark barrier to shield herself from the bullets that were incoming.
Solar's eye twitched at the name that she called him. "You good for nothing coward! You're not even good at coming up with insults!" Solar felt a vein popped on the side of his forehead. Even Y/n can come up a better insult. Ymeriah's level was nowhere near Y/n Llumina's. The light element was beyond pissed at this, he felt like he could blast the whole Aquarius with his solar eclipse beam and end everyone right then and there.
The lamp was overheating, can someone help us plug it off?
If the elf was here, she would be asking him to transform to Boboiboy Earthquake instead─much to his dislike. At the thought of her, Boboiboy Solar was wondering what the elf girl has been doing. It's been quite a while since she left to the right wing and he basically fought with this cocky and viscious general mermaid. Boboiboy Solar didn't like her a tad bit─well, he never liked any Glamouran enemy but, he just hated how Ymeriah knew how to push his buttons.
Even the way she talks irks him in every way. She was even cockier and even annoying than Pamola and Datu. Boboiboy Solar could literally commit a mass massacre at this point if he fights against her still without a winner between them. Before Ymeriah could do anything, he felt himself being pulled from his wrist by an unknown force. Feeling his heart quicken in nervousness, he turned to the creature dragging him deeper in the right wing.
"HUH?! F/n?! What have you been doing while I was out fighting that horrible abomination!?"
He received no response but he could head the scream of an angered general.
"She'll absorb your magic at this point, I don't want you to lose your magic. Our fight wasn't even finished yet, I still have plenty of things to do to beat her! She's the worst in coming up with insults too, it's giving me a headache!"
"Right... I hear you."
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Disclaimer: The illustrations above aren't mine. They belong to their original artists.