Eclipsis: Water

Chapter 34

"Keep doing that, I think it's hurting it." Alara said, snapping Kōri out of his thoughts.

As Cetus swam, the koromodako chased after them, and the fairies sent whirlpool after whirlpool that smashed into the octopus creature, angering it. Some whirlpools it caught before they could reach it, crushing them into tiny pieces of ice, but the fairies kept conjuring them. Any time the koromodako was distracted, Cetus turned his head momentarily to propel jets of boiling water at it, scorching its tentacles.

In there! I see a small cave, The dragon shouted while the koromodako screeched loudly.

Alara peered over him to see what he was talking about. "That won't be big enough for you to fit. We need to find something else."

We don't have time, Al. I can camouflage momentarily in that coral reef over there, but only for a few minutes. Make sure the koromodako sees you going into that cave.

Alara turned to point it out to Kōri, telling him what Cetus said.

Kōri nodded. "We can't let it see where Cetus is going. We need to obscure its vision somehow."

"Is there any way you could encase it in ice?" Alara asked, out of breath from the amount of whirlpools she had been conjuring.

"It would take too much time," Kōri answered. "Is an ice wall good enough? It can easily swim around it, but it'll buy him some time to camouflage."

The fairies both let go of Cetus' spines as Kōri conjured a wide wall of ice directly in front of the koromodako. This enraged it further - they could hear its sounds of anger behind it - and Alara watched anxiously as Cetus positioned himself amongst the coral reef, changing his scales to the colours around him. As long as the koromodako didn't get too close, it wouldn't be able to tell he was there.

"I want it to see us entering this cave, but I don't want to be yanked back out by it." Kōri spoke hurriedly, motioning to Alara to follow him to the entrance.

Distracted, she gave one last look to Cetus, who closed his glowing eyes, and swam after the ice-fairy, whose white wings seemed to glow somewhat in the darkness. They reached the entrace of the cave - though it was not exactly this, more of a small crevice, but deep enough that both fairies could swim in a little, away from the reach of the koromodako's tentacles. It would undoubtedly have to shrink to go after them. The fairies held onto the walls, Alara a little above Kōri, and waited for it.

The ice wall was in their full view; they could hear a banging sound on it, low, loud thumps. The koromodako wasn't as bright as they had initially thought. That or perhaps it was trying to show its strength, as long cracks began spreading from the centre of the ice, increasing with each thump. In another few seconds it burst through, tentacles swarming around it in the water. It seemed to have lost its bearings for a second, and then its eyes fixed upon the fairies, and it raced over to them.

Alara and Kōri backed away apprehensively, wanting to be out of reach of it, both readying their weapons in case. The koromodako reached them in no time, and Alara's head span at the scene before her. The creature had turned to show its beak, which was snapping, but by turning, it exposed rows upon rows of razor-like teeth, leading all the way up to the hole of its mouth. Any prey that it caught would be shredded in no time. Alara felt herself shudder at the thought.

"It's okay, it won't be able to get us from here." Kōri told her.

She frowned. "I know."

Anyone would be able to tell that, She thought, and then paused shortly. Was that his attempt to reassure me?

She risked a glance at the ice-fairy next to her, turning away from the snapping of the koromodako, who was still attempting to squeeze its way into the small entrance with no luck. She wasn't sure how exactly to react to this. Had he been trying to reassure her because he thought she was weak? Like a young child? That somehow, after every enemy they had crossed paths with, a koromodako was her limit? She felt herself scowl, opening her mouth to defend herself -