We pass corals, schools of fish, pods of dolphins, and a town of merfolk, their eyes wide and mouths agape as they float mid-swim, their iridescent tails shimmering in the light. We must be quite a sight. After all, it's not every day you see a dragon carrying a whale. Energy surges through my body. Feeling so alive in the water, I start flipping my fins and tail. My master probably senses my eagerness, since he releases me into the vast ocean. I'm a big girl now. I can swim on my own!
Bubbles whirl around as I swim in circles, trying to get the hang of this body. I look for guidance, but the dragon is nowhere to be seen. Where did he go?
It is eerily silent. No life forms in sight, which is very unusual. The water grips me with cold hands. Shadows loom across the seabed, and the light dims into murk. I squint, my eyes filtering the dark. Where did everybody go?
Maybe we're playing hide and seek?
I survey my surroundings; crags, crags, more crags, and... sea monster.
Wait, what? The hideous beast is eyeing me. It has two eyes closed, and a third one as an extension from its head, dangling at the front, glowing. It looks shriveled up: I thought the water was supposed to moisturize! Talk about creepy!
Maybe I should stop commenting and do something. It's getting closer. I dart my eyes, searching for somewhere to hide. My master must be close by, right? My heart quickens, and I'm beginning to panic. I can't see him anywhere. How can a humungous dragon hide so well?
"Master!" I scream, my voice echoing. "Okay, you can come out now. Help!"
But there is no response; just deafening silence.
He said I had cyclone power... more like perilous power.
The beast torpedoes toward me, its sharp, jagged teeth bared. Pew! It reeks of serious gingivitis, and I almost pass out from the stench.
I swim as fast as my little fins can manage, but it feels like I'm swimming in mud. Why am I not moving forward?I'm getting sucked back!
The beast opens its mouth wide. Nooo... I'm too young to die! I haven't conquered anything yet!
I'm edging dangerously close to the jaws of death. I shut my eyes. No, I refuse to die without a fight. I turn my body around to get a good look at my first predator. No, it shall be my first prey.
I do the only thing I can do when getting sucked in. I take a deep breath and roar at it with all my might. To my surprise, a wave of air stuns it. Then, I use my thick head to head-butt it. That only angers it more.
I roar again. There was no sudden burst of wave. It gives me a deadpan look. I swing my tail around, ready to give it a good thrashing.
Suddenly, an air bubble encases me. Warmth spreads through my chest as pressure lifts from the water, steadying my tiny heartbeat. The sea monster's eyes widen, and it flees like a coward, trailing puny bubbles.
A shadow looms over me. My body shivers as an overbearing aura surrounds me, my tiny heart pounding violently in my ears. This might be the end. I turn around to face my next mighty foe. To my relief, it is salvation. I can finally breathe easily again.
"Master! There you are."
The dragon sighs, shaking his head.
"I see your instinct is to fight rather than use your surroundings to your advantage and hide when you face a larger foe. What would happen if I wasn't nearby?"
"I did call for you, but you didn't answer…"
"Yes, I heard. The whole chasm heard. Why do you think that creature was able to pinpoint where you were?"
His nose flares; a puff of warm air brushes past me.
"There goes our dinner."
He turns around and slithers away, not even bothering to wait for me.
I was about to retort, but fair enough; I'd be upset too if someone chased away my dinner.
The dragon leads me down the chasm. The water ripples, and an ethereal light shimmers through the darkness as he shifts into his human guise to enter an ancient cave. Weathered, jagged walls are veined with glowing moss, while jellyfish drift like lanterns, their bioluminescence casting a soft, shifting light across the gloom.
My master briskly turns to me.
"Since you don't know how to read yet. I will tell you your results."
"I was being tested?"
"Well, I was allowing you to explore while I get dinner. Since you decided to randomly fight a significantly larger creature than yourself when you weren't ready, I figured I'd assess you."
My face heats up. My fins aren't long enough to cover my shame. That definitely wasn't my finest moment, especially after I cried for help.
"Thanks for saving me," I dip my head, cheeks burning with embarrassment.
"I wasn't saving you. I was saving our food from you but when it saw me it fled."
"You mean? That sudden burst of wave when I screamed, wasn't you?"
My master shakes his head, a slight smile tugging his lips.
"That was you, Ling Yue. Well done for summoning that power so soon."
"Really? So I do have cyclone powers?"
"I wouldn't call that a cyclone. More like a power of 5 out of 100. You'll need more time to hone that skill."
I'm liking this. Means I have potential. Look out world, be prepared to hear me roar.
"Okay, what are my results? Did I impress you?"
He lets out a sigh, then nonchalantly announces:
Courage: Level 1
Elemental Power: Level 1
Physical Power: Level 0
Strategy: Level 0
Agility: Level 0
Speed: Level 0
"What are these levels? What are they out of?"
"At this initial stage: 10. I suspect that's when you would evolve into a larger size once you reach that level. Then we will go from there."
"Does that mean I increased in Courage and Elemental Power?"
He nods.
"How come I didn't increase in Strategy, Agility, and Speed?"
"Given that you were almost eaten by our lost dinner, I think that's a fair assessment."
"So, a near-death experience only increased my Courage and Elemental Power to Level 1? Isn't that a bit too tough of a rating system?"
"I thought I was being generous. Most sea creatures would have avoided that sea monster, given that it's blind."
"But I saw its eyes widen when it saw you."
"No, it sensed my hunger. That's something you need to learn. To sense danger before it gets too close."
I pout, puffing out a frustrated breath through my nose. I don't think he's the type to feed my ego. I was hoping for a glowing result. I guess that's tomorrow's problem. Today's got enough problems of its own. My stomach starts grumbling. I scan around the gloomy cave. I wonder what we're going to have for dinner? I look at him with doe eyes, hoping for some sympathy.
Long Fei's eyes soften, then he points north.
"There should be some krill nearby. Try not to get eaten."
"You want to send me out there again?"
He scratches his chin, and then his stomach rumbles. He puts a hand over his face. Raising his free hand, he closes his fist, and a school of krill trapped in an air bubble flies in, illuminating the cave. My mouth waters as they look incredibly tasty.
I can't believe what I just saw.
"You can do that without looking?"
"You will be able to, too. One day. Now eat."
Oh, I can't wait to level up now! I chomp on some live krill. I watch my Master gracefully summon an air bubble around a cluster of krill, then inject his energy to cook it in the bubble. Then he eats it elegantly.
I happily munch away, wondering why he's taking his sweet time eating something so delicious. Maybe cooked food tastes better. He hands me a cooked krill. I give it a taste. It is so much better!
"Master, will you teach me how to cook like that too?"
Long Fei raises an eyebrow.
"First, let's work on making you higher up on the food chain."
Fair point! I don't want to be someone else's dinner. I can't wait to evolve!