Water and Earth (The Four Elements: Book 2) (ON HOLD)

Chapter Seventeen: Through the Passage

Kai carefully arranged the coral in a certain position, like a shape of a seashell. I thought it was kind of fascinating to form a seashell with just ten pieces of them, especially if it's only a key to open a passage to another town.

Chelsea verbally agreed with my thoughts, with a twist of her own humor. "Kai is very detail-oriented, especially when handling hazardous things like the Fire Coral."

"Fire Coral isn't that hazardous, is it?" I asked.

"I don't think so, but I'm just saying," she shrugged in response.

Once Kai finished the preparations, he invited us closer to the passage.

"That's a nice seashell you have there, Kai," Brandon remarked.

"Thanks," he said. "Now, everything is prepared. I just have to activate the passage and you guys can proceed."

"Wait, you're not coming?" I wondered, surprised.

Kai nodded with a frown. "I can't leave the passage running because I have to be physically here to close this end of the portal. If I close the portal only at the other end, this will still be open and creatures that I don't want entering will enter and the next time this passage is used, those creatures will be released and cause havoc."

"We understand," Brandon chimed in. "The next leg of our quest, we'll probably figure something out by ourselves. Before you open the passage, are there things that we need to watch out for?"

"Fire corals, obviously. There's a lot around the merfolk town and about sixty-eight percent of the population would get minor injuries just by accidentally touching them," he replied, matter-of-factly. "Then, there's also attitude."

"Attitude?" Chelsea wondered.

"Yeah, attitude," he slowly nodded. "It's actually hard to find any merfolk that are like me in the way I act, to be honest. They just want to go about their business and you are considered lucky if you find another one in the population of twenty-thousand mermaids and mermen."

"Alright then, I think we're ready to go through," I nodded for Kai to open the passage.

He then hovered in front of the passage and at the next moment, he moved his hands in an unusual pattern; thin white beams following his every movement. Up and down his hands went, and I couldn't understand the movements but I guessed he is drawing something relating to the destination. If Elias was here, he can help me interpret what Kai is drawing.

As he pressed his hands together, a creaking noise was heard. I looked away from Kai and to the passage entrance and noticed whatever was blocking it was rolling to the side. Once the blockage is gone, I also notice a whirlpool that will lead us to the merfolk town. It was kind of similar to whatever we used to get to Brandon's dorm room a few weeks ago.

"There you go," Kai turned back to us and held out a hand to the passage. "You can proceed. Hopefully, we get to meet again soon and hopefully, Elias and the rest of the Water Realm will be rescued. Good luck."

"Thank you, and hopefully we see you again too," I remarked with a wave.

"See you soon, Kai," Chelsea smiled.

"Yeah bro, see you," Carter waved.

He motioned for us to swim through the passage. As enthusiastic she is, Chelsea went in first while Carter chased after her. Then Brandon offered for me to go through before him.

"I'll be right behind you, alright?" I stated.

Brandon replied with a nod. "Okay then, see you on the other side."

After he swam through, I turned to Kai for the last time.

"Thanks for everything. When Elias is back and Amaya is back in control of herself again, maybe we can go on a stroll around our world if we can?" I offered. "And before you say that you can't walk, I'll find something that will enable you to have legs while you're in our world."

"I accept," He smiled. "And do update me on your progress; I want to be of help too from the distance."

"Will do," I nodded as I got closer to the passage. "Until next time, Kai."

"Until next time."