Chapter 788 A Growing Curiousity From A Fish

The group had made a temporary camp inside the nearby building. They reheated some food they had procured. Calis stood outside near the cocoon, keeping watch of anything while the rest ate. Calis's eyes drifted to the cocoon many times. He hadn't witnessed an evolution before.

Fox Spirits were one of many creatures on Daros that could evolve. Merfolk could supposedly do the same, but Calis never witnessed anyone do it before. Calis's mind naturally drifted to Daros nearly two years ago. He had just reappeared back on Daros with the help of the Fox Spirits.

The large portal opened, releasing Valen, Shang and Calis. The three moved past the portal and looked around. Shang was way off his Portal mark. They stood at an unmanned portal on top of a mountain. The cold air bit at them as clouds slowly moved below them.

"We're not too far from one of the village entrances." Calis told them. He turned to look at the descending path. "I can go from here on my own."

"Are you sure, Calis?" Valen asked. "My apprentice used the wrong wording. I can get us closer if you'd like." Calis shook his head.

"You have a lot to deal with on your side. I will go back to my home and relay the message there. Once I do, I will set out and find the others." Calis reassured Valen. Valen looked at Calis and then nodded. He turned to look at Shang.

"We must go, Shang. I will teach you the correct incantation another time. We're needed by the Commander's side." Valen told Shang. Shang nodded and Valen looked at Calis. "Good luck, friend. I hope you find the others and the Cup." The two Fox Spirits stepped over to the portal. Valen silently mumbled something and the portal shimmered, engulfing Valen and Shang.

Calis quickly learned what happened while he was away. He learned of his Father's death and secretly blamed himself for not being quicker. Finding the Cup quickly became Calis's sole mission. He was tasked with finding it and looking for leads.

"Find the Twin Fox Spirits. They can help you." The Priestess told Calis. "That is the condition which the Goddess has decreed."

"I heard one of them is asleep. They don't know when he's going to awaken." Calis told the Priestess and the Village Leader.

"The Priestess has declared it, Leader Calis. Do what is needed." The Village Leader ordered. Calis gritted his teeth and nodded. It was no use talking to the Priestess and Leader. They wouldn't understand how he felt.

"Yes, Priestess and Village Leader. I will venture out to find them." Calis saluted. He turned and left the two in quiet hushed voices. They were clearly not as great as they seemed to be. He exited the church to a commotion.

"Halt! Who are you?!?" A soldier shouted. Keng lifted his hands up and looked around.

"The gods wouldn't lie to me, would they?" Keng whispered.

"Answer, Fox Spirit! Who are you?" The soldier shouted. Keng looked at the guard and tilted his head.

"You clearly haven't met me before." Keng spoke. Calis looked over and noticed a familiar Fox Spirit with a glowing pair of daggers tucked away. They shimmered as Calis smiled at the soldier. "My name's Keng. I was here to help the Merfolk with finding the Cup. Where's Leader Calis?" Calis moved over and grabbed the soldier.

"What are you doing here, Keng?" Calis asked, coldly. "I was going to come to you when I finished my work here." Keng scoffed and folded his arms together. Calis looked at the soldier and motioned at him. "You may go. He's with me."

"Sir!" The guard nodded and was released by Calis. Calis turned his attention back onto Keng and folded his arms in front of him.

"Lady Hydran and Lord Rox'su insisted I continue my search for the Cup. They told me you were back in your village. I came to collect you so we could look." Keng answered. Calis scoffed and looked away. He was angry. He didn't even have time to properly mourn his father's death like the rules stated. He was already being pushed to continue the search because his people would all die at this rate. Keng knew something was up and drifted over to Calis's side and peeked a  better look.

"I haven't had proper time to even mourn properly for my father and they want me to continue looking!" Calis cursed under his breath. He turned to look at Keng with grieving eyes. They were filled with anger. "Can I at least get that?" Keng nodded. Calis deserved one day, at least, to grieve his father.

"Do what you want." Keng told him. "I'm going to Earth to figure out where the Cup is, with or without you. You deserve to, at least, mourn a day. I will return after a day." He turned and started making his way out of the village. He left Calis there alone. Calis wasn't the only one with a clouded head. Calis sighed and turned.

"It's for the best." Calis whispered. "One day… Just one day to mourn."

Calis spent the day next to where his father was wrapped and left for Calis to deal with. The body was starting to reek and Calis took up the task of dropping his father at their resting place: the black abyss. He quietly mourned as others watched the Leader lead his father's body to the abyss. There, all alone, Calis cried. He knew his father would tell him not to worry about him. To not blame himself, but Calis couldn't help but do it. When enough time had passed, Calis readied his father for the last part. He set a hand on his father's wrapped body and sighed.

"I watch you float away like we watched Mom and older Sister float away…" Calis quietly spoke. "Join them in the Afterlife… and tell them I'll be okay… I know you want me to not worry so much and blame myself, but… I can't fully accept that, yet… More people die because of this strange Curse… I can't find the Cup with the help of the Fox Spirits… So much has happened to them and their human friends…" Calis's fist tightened at his side as he squeezed his eyes shut. He knew deep down he couldn't even blame them. "And yet one of the Fox Spirits came looking for me because the gods spoke… Do you think what I'm doing is right, Father?"

Calis sighed and lifted his head. The jellyfish were finally here. It was time. With a heavy heart, Calis released his Father's body and took a step back. He sobbed hard, lowering his head. He was truly alone now.

"Gone away you may go, but I will forever hold you in my heart…" Keng softly sang. Calis looked over to his right and noticed the Silver Fox Spirit was here. "Drifting away to another space, I cry and cry knowing you're in a better place…"

"What're you doing here?" Calis asked. Keng sighed and watched the jellyfish. "I thought you were going to look for the Cup without me… Why are you here? It hasn't been long since you left."

"I couldn't leave you to mourn alone, Jurdiya."

They were small words, but it was enough to know Calis wasn't alone. The memory faded as the sound of cracks alerted Calis. The Twin's shell cracked and Keng appeared alone. Seven white tails with silver and gold lines appeared. The energy around Keng was thick. It was more refined and less chaotic.

Keng looked around and noticed Calis was there, waiting besides him.

"How long were we in there?" Keng's distorted voice asked. He looked over to Calis and there was a complete difference within Keng. He was both people… Colder, yet the same Keng Calis knew. Calis snapped out of it and quickly hid his solemn feelings from two years ago away.

"They set up and are eating right now. I think they're almost done eating." Calis answered.

"You didn't eat, yet?" Keng asked. Calis shook his head. Keng sighed and nodded.

[Power Condensation has triggered. What Specialization do you want?]

The words in front of Keng was bothering both him and Lee Seng. He wanted to ask what this was about, but he didn't know who to ask.

"What's wrong?" Calis asked. He had gotten used to knowing when Keng wanted to ask something but didn't know who to ask it to. Keng began to shake his head when Calis grabbed Keng and pulled his attention towards him. "What is it?" For a moment, the two stared at each other. Keng's heart skipped a beat and then he heard Lee Seng.

"Bro, no way!" Lee Seng's voice came out. Keng's image shimmered and Lee Seng split from Keng with a loud thwack onto the ground. Lee Seng coughed as he swung his hand around. "BROOO!" He pointed at Keng and Calis. "What was that I felt?"