Chapter 244 Fetch Quest For Florabelle (2)

The explosion of the river and earth was something Keng and Ritsuka weren't mentally prepared for. The force of gravity erupted and the sizzling sounds of water and yellow liquid splashed across the forest floor, burning the ground. Water quickly crashed back into the river bed and Keng couldn't help but let out a panicked scream as the vines went limp.

"Lee Seng!" Keng scrambled towards the river. The waters were rocking back and forth and bubbles were erupting from the waters.

The vines were slowly slithering around. Ritsuka made his way towards the chaotic river, pulling the shadows of the Black Void towards him.

"What the hell happened?" Ritsuka asked, taking a look at the waters. A shirek erupted through the forest and vines flew out from the forest. "Crap, there's more of them?!?" Ritsuka and Keng immediately dodged the large vines flying towards them, only to meet more behind them. Vines snatched them in the air and yanked them backwards.

The two boys screamed as they were pulled into the the forest. The putrid smell of whatever was pulling them in, was growing bigger. A large set of dried seaweed petals with yellow liquid oozing out of their bulbs opened.

"Oh crap, oh crap, oh crap!" Ritsuka shouted. Swords erupted out of the ground, slashing and piercing everything around him. The vines holding Ritsuka quickly severed, dropping Ritsuka into a tumble as the vines loosened around him. Keng continued forward, whipping straight for the bulbs.

Fox-fires erupted all over Keng as he too panicked shots at the dried seaweed flowers. The flames erupted in silver and gold, causing some of the flowers to shriek in pain. The flowers' dried petals and acid liquid kept them from igniting. Keng continued to barrage the acid with fox-fires. The vines managed to ignite and burn Keng out of its grasp.

Keng bounced closer to the dried seaweed flowers. The shrieks continued as vines continued their barrage on Keng and Ritsuka.

"Complete Black Void: Scatter Void." Ritsuka slashed Obsidian Glass at the vines as the shadows pulled into him and erupted into nine blades. Shadow energy entangled the scatter blades as Ritsuka quickly dashed forward. He slashed his way towards the bulbs, the swords around him spiraling around him. He slashed forward and watched as the swords flew forward and pierced their way through the vines. Keng grunted as the vines around him burst, freeing his arms. Fox-fires erupted around him as he continued running straight for the bulbs.

"Don't burn them all! We need the vines!" Ritsuka reminded Keng as more fox-fires flew straight for the bulbs.

"Their dry petals and the acid won't catch fire easily." Keng told him. Keng pulled the fox-fire flames into him. He could feel the heat building within him and slammed his foot down and slashed horizontally at the acidic seaweed plants. "Ignition Horizon!" Ritsuka watched as the bulbs immediately fell into five different pieces. The vines went limp as Ritsuka slowed to a stop. Small fires ignited across the dry seaweed plants and Keng quickly began to panic, trying to put them out.

"Oh shit!" Keng stomped on one of the small fires. Ritsuka watched as Keng made quick stomp work of the flames, snuffing them out with ease.

—

The water slammed LEe Seng onto the river bed floor and quickly tossed him around. The chaos of the gravity blast was now biting back at him. Luckily for him, He had taken a quick breath that would sustain him for a couple more minutes, but his senses were panicking. He was tossed around like a ragdoll, that he couldn't really understand where up was and where he was at.

'Which way is up?' Lee Seng managed to think. The waters bubbled around him and tossed him in random directions. It would be awhile before the waters became peaceful again. 'I can stay underwater for quite some time, but I'm not really sure how long this'll last…' He spun around, trying to get a better grasp of the situation. His body glowed brighter. His eyes seemed to quickly readjust to the darkened state he was in. He could make out the river floor, but quickly turned and saw nothing again.

He pushed a small gravity bubble outwards, shoving the water out and creating a small pocket of air. He coughed as he landed onto the wet floor. Dirt was all over him now as he took in deep breaths.

"Oh my god." He slammed his fist into his chest a couple of times. "If i could think through that whole situation, I think I wouldn't have bombed the plant and the river in one go…" Lee Seng stood up and looked around. This exact situation reminded him of the time he fought Victor Callas. He wiped his face and felt his heart beating quickly.

"Alright, calm down. I've managed to do something." Lee Seng patted his heart a couple of times before looking up. "The surface is up there. I'll have to push myself up there like a rocket or I could move myself and the bubble…" His arms immediately extended and he began to slowly float. Water began to move around him, shaking the bubble of gravity as he moved up. He gritted his teeth as he focused.

He was fighting against the river as well as forcing himself above. He pushed himself up and out of the waters. The twin suns light grew brighter as he pushed himself out of the waters. He quickly floated above the waters and glanced at the waters below him.

"Yup, I did blow it up a bit." He noticed the river was a bit wider and the colorful rockwall was blasted inwards and cracks climbed up the walls. "Now that that's over… Where's Keng and Ritsuka?" He couldn't find Keng or Ritsuka. "Did something happen?"

'Keng.' Lee Seng telepathically called out. 'Where are you?' It took a moment, but Keng replied to him.

'Oh, I can hear you!' Keng telepathically spoke. 'Are you still in the water? Do you need help?' He was barraging him with questions and worry which made Lee Seng crack a smile. He pushed himself towards the side where they had walked up from and lowered himself onto the ground.

'No, I'm out. Where are you?'

'In the forest. There were a cluster of those acidic seaweed things. We're collecting some vines and taking some seaweed back.' Keng answered.

'Huh, they can grow out of the waters…?'

'What?'

'Nothing. You on the side we were all on?'

'Mmhm. Just walk into the forest a bit.'

'Alright.' Lee Seng nodded, popping the bubble. He turned to walk into the forest when he felt something coming at him from behind. Lee Seng quickly threw his hand out and watched as a large group of vines froze in midair.

"There's more of you? I guess you can't see me as you didn't try to get me from above." Lee Seng nodded above. He shoved the vines back, watching as they slammed into the ground, river and trees. He quickly disappeared from his spot, running the opposite direction. It took about thirty seconds for him to see something that wasn't vines. Keng and Ritsuka had stacked a huge pile of vines when Lee Seng slowed to a stop.

"Oh my god!" Ritsuka shouted. Sword materalized and flew straight for Lee Seng.

"It's just me!" Lee Seng threw his hands and watched as the blades stopped inches from his face.

"Lee Seng!" Ritsuka snapped his fingers and the swords poofed. "God, you came out from nowhere. Don't do that. I'm so on edge after these plant creatures tried to devour us."

"Try getting burned by that yellow acidic liquid." Lee Seng pointed at the sizzling spot of yellow liquid. "It's not fun." That reminded him to check his clothes. They seemed to have burn marks but none of it seemed to burn away.

"You think this is enough for Florabelle?" Keng asked.

"How big of an offering is she gonna make?" Ritsuka asked.

"This should be enough. We'll have to take the forest way for a bit and give distance. There's more flower creatures on the other side of the river that wants to kill us." Lee Seng pointed.

"Oh, so you met them." Keng turned as Lee Seng flicked his hand upwards and watched the vines float. Ritsuka moved around the floating vines and patted Lee Seng on the back before moving with Keng.

"So," Ritsuka said when they made some distance from the waterfall. "Does this normally happen?"

"It wasn't supposed to be like this at all." Keng answered. "We were supposed to just meet Father, do what he asked and then pop back to Earth, but," he nodded backwards. "That happened."

"And I'm just here for the ride now?" Ritsuka asked.

"You didn't say anything to me about going back." Lee Seng pointed out.

"True." Ritsuka nodded. "I guess I didn't. That's on me."

"But I think this is a good field experience for you." Keng told Ritsuka. "That adventure gave us like ten souls." Keng smiled, pleased.

"How do you even know the exact number?" Lee Seng gave Keng a strange look as they continued back to the cabin.