Chapter 581 That Easy?

Keng sat on the ground, staring at both Hydrosphere daggers. It was a strange concept to even understand.

"The wisp wanted me to follow it." Keng whispered to himself. He nodded, understanding the statement he gave himself. "I chased it as the Void Storage Rune burned on my hand…" He nodded, again. "And then the scabbard came out of the Void Storage when I opened it… And it caused a wild goose chase?" He shook his head.

"That doesn't make any sense! What am I going to tell them when I find… them?" Keng looked up, realizing he had followed the wisp and the scabbard without much regard to Calis or Lily. "Shit!" Gravity shot him onto his feet as he spun around. "I left them! What do I do now?"

Keng slipped Hydrosphere into the holsters, ignoring the fact they were fading. Strange markings grew on his shoulders as he grabbed the conch, unhooking it from its place and lifting it up. The conch was glowing. Someone was calling him.

"Keng!" Cayi's voice shouted as soon as he swiped the conch. "Where are you? We found Leader Calis and the others, but Calis said you were gone! I need to heal you!"

"Where is his location?" Rya asked, calmly. Keng tapped the map open and realized he had gone a long ways away from where the group was. "He's quite far. Why are you far, Savior? What did you see? Calis says you looked like a mad Feral."

"Um…" Keng scratched his neck. He took a look around. Nothing seemed familiar. Everything blended together and this room was definitely hidden by the illusions. "I don't know where I am, honestly. I was chasing the wisp. I went to pull the scabbard out and it flew after the wisp."

"Where did it go? Did you get it?" Rya asked.

"Well…" Keng bit his cheek. "I think I got it?"

"Why do you sound unsure?" Vizo asked.

"He sounds unsure?" Cayi asked.

"Yes, he does." Vizo replied. "Why are you unsure of yourself? Did you or did you not get it?"

"I got it." Keng replied, nodding slowly. "But…"

"But?" Cayi asked, drawing it out as long as Keng did. Keng sighed as he looked around the room.

'How am I getting out of here?' Keng wondered. The illusions began to fade. Keng tilted his head, curious.

"What just happened?" Aliza's voice asked.

"What?" Vizo and Rya asked.

"The illusions!" Trenni shouted. "They're disappearing!"

"You see it too?" Keng asked.

"It's happening where you are?" Cayi asked.

"Yeah." Keng nodded. "Was it because I caught the wisp?" He looked down at the holsters and noticed Hydrosphere was gone. "Hydrosphere? H-Hydrosphere!" Keng frantically patted himself down as the conch stayed floated.

"What's wrong?" Rya seemed to ask Cayi.

"He lost Hydrosphere." Cayi replied.

"Isn't that bad? Won't he lose his blessing of breathing underwater?" Calis asked. Keng yelped as his head spun around.

"Where is it? I put it right here!" He slipped his hands into the holster. "They're gone! They're— Wait. What is that…?" He pulled his right arm over, noticing the strange light blue lines coming out of a silver circle. "Th-this wasn't in here before…" He pulled his arm further, ignoring the pain as his eyes traced the light blue lines weaving into each other.

"What?" Cayi asked. "What's wrong? Are you okay? Do you need help?" He quickly became concern, almost screaming into conch as the caves began to shake.

"Earthquake?" Keng whispered, looking up. The cave shook, spilling debris around as the others began to grow loud in the conch.

"Keng, stay there! We'll come your way!" Rya shouted. "I think you're closer to one of the exits."

"Exit?" Keng whispered looking around. Rocks spilled from their hold, falling down to the ground as Keng moved to keep himself from being hit by any rocks.

"We'll be there soon!" Cayi shouted. "Hanging up! Ahh!"

Click.

Keng grabbed the conch and pulled it to his side. The disappearance of Hydrosphere was concerning him. He still had the blessing on him, but Hydrosphere disappearing out of the blue was something new. He moved over to the tunnel, pulling in as more rocks fell. The walls crumbled, forcing him to dodge rocks as they fell to the ground.

"This is getting bad… Is it another earthquake?" Keng whispered, blasting rocks into dust as his tattoos lit up. "They light up when I use energy?" A long "hmm" drew out as he continued to avoid the rocks, blasting whatever was necessary.

"What if I try to call it to me?" Keng wondered aloud. He opened his left hand and called for his weapon. "Hydrosphere." His tattoos lit up and the dagger appeared in his hand. "Why didn't you come to me sooner? I really thought I was going to die from the pressure down here!"

He shook the weapon like it had done something wrong. Hydrosphere was slightly different now. It felt a bit heavier and a bit larger, naturally. It still had the blue sea design to it with silver accents, but the hilt was now embroidered with jewels. It felt good in his hands, but was completely different to what he remembered it to be.

"You're different." Keng moved the dagger closer to him. He lifted his hand a blasted another large boulder. Dust rained down on him as he swatted the dust away from his face. "You changed on me and I didn't even know! Wow." Keng swung the dagger a few times, getting a feel for the change of weight and size. It was still quick and he could still deliver timed strikes, but there seemed to be more power behind it.

"Cool." Keng smiled as he slashed a boulder in half. It split and fell between him as it raised dust and sand up into the air. Keng slipped the dagger into his holster and watched it fade. "I wonder if the wisp was caught then… Was I used as a way to secure it? No, that couldn't have been the case, right?"

He shook his head as he made his way into one of the tunnels, removing himself from the room from caving in. Keng let out a sigh as he took a moment to rest in this earthquake. He threw his hands up, creating a barrier as he sat down.

'I'll wait for them here.' Keng yawned. His eyes drooped as closed his eyes. 'I'm… tired…'

The feeling of sun hitting his skin woke Keng up. He blinked, closing his eyes as light burned his eyeballs. He turned away, shielding himself as he groaned. He could hear the rustling noise of sheets moving on his body. He pressed his face half-into the pillow, not registering anything.

'Wait.' Ken's eyes opened. The pillow made him push himself up enough to look at it. 'Pillow. Sheets… I'm in boxers… Wait, wasn't I…? I was.'

"Where am I then?" He quietly asked with heavy morning voice. The sheets fell off of him, settling onto his legs as they revealed his body. He looked a bit more muscular with sharp eyes. A hair strand fell down as Keng shifted his feet to the ground.

'I'm on land.' Keng brushed his hair out of his face. He stood up and stretched, noticing a mirror to his right. He turned and noticed his body.

"Woah." Keng gasped, leaning in. He turned his face, noticing it was slightly different from Lee Seng's. "My eyes… They're way sharper than Lee's… And this nose." He turned and smiled. The door opened as Calis stepped in. He was wearing a loose shirt with a loose pants binded by a leather belt. He had a bowl in his hands with a towel in it as a woman accompanied him.

"Keng?" Rell's voice called out to him. Keng turned, noticing Rell and Calis were in the room. They stood there, eyes wide. "You're awake?" She moved past Calis and to Keng. She grabbed his arms and stretched them up. She thoroughly checked him, almost pulling his boxers off.

"I'm fine, Miss Rell!" Keng shouted, pulling her hands away from his boxers. He had found out Rell was quite the… Interesting person. His cheeks grew red as he caught Calis staring at him. Keng immediately covered his chest, turning. "I'm naked!"

"I've seen many people naked! No need to hide!" Rell chuckled, standing. "Why are you acting so embarassed now? Do you finally see all of my good points?" She stepped forward, breathing on his neck as he looked away.

"Can I… change, please? Bathe?" Keng asked, embarrassed. Rell chuckled and stepped backwards.

"Alright, you can. The rest of the Merfolk are waiting for you. Calis is here to check up on you. Insisted he help." Rell pointed at him.

"Oh." Keng nodded. Calis tossed Keng a shirt.

"Here. Where that." Keng looked at it and then to Calis. He was shirtless. It was his shirt.

"Wh-what?" Keng looked at the shirt. "This is yours."

"Wear it. I'm okay with wearing nothing." Calis smiled. Rell turned around and started to fawn over the Leader.

"Ah, Leader Calis is gracing me with more of his assets!"