We arrive at an ancient ruin. Unlike the previous one hidden underneath the Kraken, this one is in a desolate area where no sunlight reaches. That doesn't narrow it down, huh? The deep blue... Okay, I'll be honest. I don't know the coordinates. I just follow my master.
On the surface, it pretty much looks like crumpled rocks. It looks like the Kraken threw a fit here, pummeling an underwater temple, before he moved on to the next ruin. A gaping hole is hidden underneath the rubble. It wasn't highly advanced—no panel asking for blood or thumb scans here.
Long Fei raises his hand at the entrance, then he turns around.
"Since you can control your temper now, I think it's time I give you back your air elemental power."
My eyes light up. Yes, at long last. I can have a mighty roar again. This time he gave me a heads-up.
"This might hurt a little. Take a deep breath."
As I take a deep breath, he presses my acupressure points. I feel a sharp pain sear through me. No pain, no gain. I can breathe better now because I can sense the air. I'm alive! Before I can test my mighty roar, he holds up his hand, gesturing for me to wait.
"There are important artifacts in here. Do not use your air blast because it might blow this place into pieces."
He must mean more so in pieces because it looks like it's already in pieces.
A chilling draught escapes the ruin, and it groans. I nervously look at my master.
"Is there anything else you'd like me not to do or to avoid before I go charging in?"
"Out of curiosity, what was the ruin like, the one that the Queen took you to?"
"Well, there was a lot of technology in there. I can't even describe most of the artifacts there."
"Then, you should know that this ruin is nothing like that. There's no technology. It has old-fashioned booby traps. A wrong step can activate a trap. I gave you your air power back, not for you to attack, but for you to dodge the traps."
I laugh nervously. Dodging traps in an enclosed area will be challenging in this whale form.
"You're not going to leave me there alone, are you? You're giving me more instructions than usual."
"Well, this will increase your strategy level. I thought this would be more fun than playing 'Go'. I'll wait for you inside. Make your way to the middle. Oh, and one more thing, elemental magic might just get you out of a tight spot."
Then, like the wind, he vanishes.
I know he likes to be mysterious and all, but seriously! I'm getting major eerie vibes coming out of the ruins, sending chills down my spine. My tiny heart can't take this. I can't do this alone.
"Uh, Master? I don't think this is where we should be playing hide-and-seek."
I don't want to be the Seeker. I stick my head through the entrance and an unnerving chilly current washes over me. The musty scent of moss fills my nose. My heart is pounding as I enter the ruin, the dilapidated stairs look like they will collapse any time soon. Luckily I don't have any feet. Slowly, swimming over, it crumbles into an abyss. Then the torches on the stone walls light up with fire. How could fire burn in water? Are my eyes deceiving me?
The torches on the wall keep lighting up, showing the way. The tunnel splits into two; on the left there are torches, and on the right is pitch dark. I'm going to stick to the light. I cautiously move along and another torch lights up. It senses my presence. Then a creepy groan echoes. Someone or something whispers for help. I don't think I'm in a position to help anyone. I can't even help myself.
I'm just going to hope and pray that the torches are leading me to the middle where my master is. Because I am not going to try this in the dark. Then I hear a click. That doesn't sound good. That must be a trap. A sharp pendulum shoots by just ahead of me. I shuffle back only to sense another incoming danger. Another pendulum blade slices, barely missing my tail.
I pause. There's no room forward or backward. I'm gonna die. I'm too young to die. Wait... there's a pattern. The pendulums swing one after the other. If I time this right, maybe I can get through. Then I take a deep breath. There has to be a way forward. I doubt my master would let me go alone if it was too dangerous. I close my eyes. Think! I should use my water elemental power and sense things. Strangely enough, there are no colorful orbs. It's just pitch black. Wait, are these illusions? I'm not gonna try with my nose. Maybe I should try with an air blast. No, I'm forbidden to use that here. A water tendril should be harmless. I summon a water tendril. It passes right through the pendulum blade. It's just an illusion.
That makes sense why there is fire underwater but no traces of smoke. Okay, nothing is as it seems. I swim confidently through, letting the illusions cut my body. There's a slight tingle, but no real harm done. I've been through worse.
But then my instinct screams that maybe not all of them are illusions. This one coming up is giving off a metallic vibe. I think this is the real deal. I shoot another water tendril and it gets deflected. Yep, it's definitely real. I watch it swing and wait for the right time to dash past. Ready, set, go! Phew! That's all for the tunnel of the pendulums of death.
The walls start rumbling, and a large boulder that fills the tunnel is rolling towards me. I have nowhere to go but forward. There's no space for me to fit in between. Should I use my head? This is gonna hurt. I don't know if my head butt would work. I can not use the air blast so maybe something gentler. You know what, I'm just going to use my spit. Gathering copious amounts of saliva, I send a barrage of spittle to chip at the boulder until it finally crumbles.
I power through, reaching a dead end. Another click, and then a wall slams shut behind me. I'm stuck! The walls are closing in. I'm getting claustrophobic here. There is nowhere to move.
Panic grips me. I hit the ceiling with my head, and something sounded off. This is the tightest spot ever. Then I remember my master's hint. I have to use elemental magic.
Trying a water tendril, there's no reaction. Maybe I can use my blowhole to blast some air upwards. I focus all the air I can and release it. Instead of water, air bursts out.
The ceiling lights up. As the air fills it, a glowing symbol appears. The walls stop. Then they retreat. The passage opens. And there, waiting patiently is my master. He stands beside a radiant artifact, floating in the middle of the room.
Relief rushes through me. "Found you!"
A smile tugs at his lips. "I was wondering when you'd get here. Well done."
"Next time, can we play hide-and-seek in a place with nicer scenery and more space?"
He tilts his head towards the artifact.
"Ling Yue, this is why we're here. I read in the ancient scroll that this artifact was left for you. Come, touch it."
As I reach for it, my heart races. The glow around the artifact flows toward me, wrapping around my body. A gentle warmth prickles my skin. My heartbeat quickens. Every part of me tingles. A soft pull lifts me higher. I glance down. My master looks up, his eyes glistening. A low hum echoes through the chamber. Am I... evolving?