You're beautiful, but why are you a Fish?

Traveling to Chronogal is tiring, but it will shatter when you see the perfect, calm, and peaceful scenery of it. As we preambulated the town near the Chronogal, through this beautiful weather, we saw a girl strolling towards us.

"Excuse me. I really need some help. Where can I find the "Spendsor Aux Fanix"?" She said.

"It's in the town of Moderna, right under this mountain." I said.

"Thank you. By the way, you're the ninth person whom I asked, and you're the only one who knows it." She said.

"So you're an Irregular?" Artha said.

"Yes." The girl said.

After answering that question of her, she suddenly passed from our sight. That girl was like a wind. The gustiness of her blew us. I wonder who's the deity granted her that divine potential.

"There's a new student ha." Artha muttered. "Yup." I said.

Glancing from behind, the people were shaking up. Another day of the year, getting ready for their work, tasks, and any other kinds of stuff that are waiting. I can hear the traffic jam on the road. The crowing of the rosters sounds like being choked. That is so irritating when you're totally awake.

We are now standing in the town behind the wind-ranging forest. I saw a guy sitting on the ground. He looks miserable and sad. His eyes are red due to the lack of energy and tiredness. I think he's crying overnight and didn't treat himself well.

"Mister, what happened to you?" I said.

"My Wife and Son got abducted by a flying creature last night. It's a woman in a bird form. It has long and sharp nails, and its face is pale, looks hungry.." He uttered.

Artha and I stared at each other. Another alarming problem blooms out. The two of us didn't do anything. We are just negating what that guy said. Ignoring all of it, then moved on. The guy remained on the ground, crying, and didn't make a move.

"Another mythical creature appeared. Where did it come from?" I said.

Artha just shrugged.

While walking along the large branches of the trees, everything seemed fine. There's no hint of trickery. There's no presence of goblins here just like yesterday. They were all making fun of me. Their chuckles are way too odd and weird.

Following in time, we arrived at the Chronogal. We quickly went to the old man's house. Maybe he's angry right now. I am late by about half an hour. I knocked on the door, but there's nothing that comes up to open it. My mind commands me that I should open the door, my hand cooperated.

"Hey, what're you doing?!" Artha asked.

"I'm just taking a sight there." I said.

"No, you're sneaking in! It opposed the law." Artha said.

I disregard what Artha spats out; his words. When we entered the house, the foul smell of his urine welcomed us. "What's with this smell?" I whispered.

We instantly cover up our noses to avoid that ancient smelly urine on the floor. "Is he a dog?" Artha said. Maximilian's house is so messy. It looks like there is a collision that happened here. We looked over at him. He's not on the upstairs, kitchen, and bathroom. There are only two rooms left. I twisted the doorknob in the first room, then entered it. There's no one here. Artha on the other hand opened the last room.

"There he is. Maximilian!" He said.

Maximilian's currently lying on his bed, covered with his dirty and stinky blanket. Seconds passed, we witnessed his greatness. We discerned his lower part of his body. We saw him wearing his legendary large boxers, full of hearts on it. We just smirked to avoid his awakening. Artha and I backed off. We decided to go to the old shack. But I stepped over on a rusty old mug on the floor. I made a sound. Maximilian woke up.

"Oh. Good Morning, guys." He said.

The scent that is coming from his mouth is disgusting, and it was the smell of a beer. We still covered the holes of our noses.

"Hey, why did you enter here without asking my permission?" He asked.

"Uhmm, hoping that you're not on the outside." I said. That was a vague answer.

"Wait for me on the balcony, just sit there and behave." He said.

"Hello, Turtles. Why are the two of you late?" I said.

"Rea was too busy putting some colors and powders on her face, making a way to look like a human." She said. "You shouldn't be intimidated. Maximilian is here."

"Yes." I muttered.

Rea and Gail walked over to the balcony.

"Catch!" Maximilian said.

He threw away a wooden sword at me. I elevated my hands in the air, but I wasn't able to catch it, clumsy sky. Rea, Gail, and Artha just did a facepalm, and I just rubbed my head while smirking.

"Kid, I'll show you a move and a little piece or a portion of what they called deception. Get ready. You're going to have a one on one against me." He said.

I swiftly placed the hilt on the right side of my hip and pointed its end to Maximilian. Maximilian didn't move, still standing. I dashed into him. I'm going to strike him from above, and overhead strike. Maximilian closes the distance with his sword raised, preparing for what appears to be a mighty overhead strike. Our swords are still up in the air, I focused on his sword, but the real motives of him are to kick my abdomen. I fell down on my knees, holding my stomach.

"Ouch, that was cheating!" I yelled. Got irritated due to that trickery move he did.

Maximilian just laughed, making fun of me.

"You know, kid. You should be deceptive, deceit your enemy. Fighting fair is the best and a sure way to get killed in sword-fighting." Maximilian said.

I'm still on the field, griping and clasping my tummy.

"That is one of the elements of sword-fighting, Kid. Your sight was on my sword, Your attention is into it. Neglecting possible outcomes, right? That move I did is very convenient and functional. If the kick was unsuccessful, I could still guard myself using my sword, from yours. 'Cause the way you smote on me was an overhead strike, above your head. I quickly altered my move to counter yours." He said.

"Unfair," I said in a low tone voice.

"You must sense the distance and feel the timing. Be conventional or simple. Hitting or striking at the right time and being close is enough to actually hit your opponent. Sky, we ought to cultivate your skills for you to flower. You really have a skill. I saw you fight, Kid. Your cardio and wrist are strong, and that is one of the keys in sword-fighting." Maximilian said.

"Got it," I murmured.

"Try to follow my rhythm. Falling into a foreseeable pattern is abhorrent to sword-fighting." He said.

While Maximilian's chattering, the three of them clapped their hands. After mentoring me, Maximilian suddenly called over Gail. He told Gail to instruct me 'cause he will take some time out. He walked towards his rocking chair and sat on them. He's like a cowboy from a rodeo. "Sky, there are basic angles of attack in sword-fighting, when you're cutting them, slashing. These are the straight up, straight down, diagonally down to the left, diagonally down to the right, diagonally up to the left, diagonally up to the right.

Rea barged into us, singing Price Tag by Jessie J. "Everybody looks to the left, everybody looks to the right, can you feel that yeah."

Gail rolled her eyes, and I just laughed. That is way too funny somehow.

"And the last one is the left and right strikes in horizontal." She said

Gail continues to illustrate those angles on me. She's slashing the sword of her back and forth, for me to remember it. I was touched by her willingness to instruct me on this session of our training.

After the constant swinging of the swords, Maximilian goes back and keeps up his training to educate me. Maximilian told me that there are some ways to dodge strikes from the enemy. First is, I have to give some distance, bend my legs and raise my sword right beside my head, though it's not an overhead attack after all. He said that it could be used to guard yourself against an overhead attack, and I must have a full measure space so that it can captivate the force of the incoming blow.

"The same basic standard criterion can be used against a rising vertical strike, though with the sword held downwards instead of up. You will swing your sword from to below to above, parrying the incoming attack." Maximilian said.

The training is really fun and exciting, learning cool and hot pieces of stuff from a teacher of gladiators itself. It's totally insane!

"The second is lengthening the arm outwards and away from the body. The position of the sword should be on the sideward, alongside your body. It can parry the most down downward diagonal cuts, thrust, or high horizontal strikes coming from the left to the right." He said.

He is undoubtedly a good teacher.

"By dropping your sword downward and invigorating with sufficient space to suck up the contact of the blow, those diagonal cuts that are directed to the right leg, or low horizontal attacks can be parried." He said.

Due to that outstanding coaching, I just said, "Amazing." He proceeded to the next method.

"Contrary, by turning the wrist of yours, it will face outwards and sweep the attack side of the opponent. Every low attack directed to the left side of the body is parried. Another is, an attack from right to left is guarded by swinging the arm across the body, right to left slashed." He said.

I listened to every word he spits out, making all the data and proper steps secure and will not be forgotten. Yeah, but scientists did mention that having a poor memory is a sign that you're a smart person. So is it fine now to forget everything? Just kidding!

"We're going to have a brief break, Kid. We'll be going back later." Maximilian said.

I headed over to them on the balcony and hoped they would bring some snacks. Fortunately, they really brought some. It is folded-over Pizza. It has many different fillings; a Calzone. The snacks were filled with cured meats and mixed well with Parmesan and Mozzarella cheese. They also brought Lemon Mascarpone Cheesecake and a pleasing dessert called Peaches in white wine.

While ingesting our food, Rea and Gail talked, and that opened up a conversation. They said that in August, the annual "Battle of the Supreme" will happen. Its main goal is to test out every student in the school. Looking for the toughest top students, spotting who will be on the top. There are two categories at the event, and everyone must participate. The first is the battle between all the sections of the Spendsor Aux Fanix, and the second one is "The individuals."

On that activity, each student is permitted or authorized to do what they want. There's no banning and prohibiting. They can release their extreme magic, drive their full potential to the utmost, and they can even beat their opponent to a pulp. The purpose of their "Battle of the Supreme" or the objectives is to see the student who will be on the top. In Spendsor Aux Fanix, combats are much greater than academics.

"Wait, the winners from their sections are the only ones who can get through there, the only one who can enter the "Individuals." That activity will strain all the youth, separating the weak from the strong one, ending a few students." Artha interfered.

"Yeah." Rea and Gail in unison.

"Yo, Guys! It's already 11:52 am. This can't be called a snack. We should have our lunch." I said.

We did not notice the time. We got here late, and the two are much later than us.

"Oh, yeah, all of us were late." Artha said.

"You're really into the training, Sky. You even forgot the time." Rea said.

"So what're we going to do now?" I said.

Rea and Gail decided to go on a food chain to take out our lunch. Obviously, they used Rea's ability. I'm pretty sure that in just a few minutes they'll come back.

Artha and I started to talk again about the man earlier, asking for a favor. That guy is getting on my nerves. His agony is bothering me. A miserable being asking for help on an impotent human, like me. Artha said that I should pretermit that guy mentioned and focus on my training.

"Forget about it, Sky. Someone will assuredly help him." He said.

I just nod with a half-baked feeling on it.

"We're back!" They said.

Rea and Gail came back in just a very few moments.

Rea brought a traditional variation of a beef dish that has layers of pasta and chicken baked in red wine, tomatoes, and a delicious cheese sauce. She took a Chicken Lasagne. She also brought a four bowl of rice for us. Gail brought a Salt Cod Fritters. It is a little fried cake of mashed salt and Cod mixed with little chilis and fennel. It's perfect as a main course dish.

"What's in the other bag?" I asked.

"Oh, it's for Maximilian. This is a Sardinian Red Mullet cooked in orange juice and red wine." She said.

All of it is too delicious. It made my saliva drop. Luckily, no one catches a look at it.

Gail called Maximilian to have our lunch.

When Maximilian came back, we began munching.

After consuming those mouthwatering foods they bought and brought. Gail and I just relaxed on the balcony, inhaling cool winds from the forest.

It's hitherto twelve high noon; the heat is on my skin. The sun's rays are taking me away from this fine day. Is that they're ways to stir me from our swordplay? Poetry 101.

I decided to wander the place of Maximilian since they're not yet finished. It's surrounded by flowers and trees. This place is completely a ghost town. There's no argument here. Feels like we're in a vacuum. We are into totally empty space; void.

The story of the man still remains in my mind. I can't get through it. It's bothering me. I felt guilty about that.

"Where's my conscience?!" I murmured.

I've made a choice that ended me being regretful. I can't just let those monsters abduct and devour those innocent and helpless people.

My raging emotions rise, which makes me punch and kick the tree. I consecutively hit it with my fist and foot. I punched the trunk of the tree just to fade this howling feeling. My tears trickled down to my cheeks. My pride was tainted; it feels like it has been trampled into pieces. I badly want to help others in times of catastrophe. Due to the excessive punch that I throw at the tree, my skin was torn off. A black and red fluid with a smell of copper descends from the outer skin of my fist. My blood dropped on the ground.

I did not know that Gail followed me. I turned my head to gaze at her. The scene becomes slow. The second is just like a century. The leaves are falling slowly. Gail ran towards me, holding my hands that are engulfed by blood, and then she embraced me with a question.

"What happened?" Gail asked.

"I saw the guy from yesterday, begging for help. His son and wife are abducted by a flying creature." I said.

"Then?" Gail said.

"I didn't do anything. I just let those things do what they want. There's a problem too, I can't trace them, and it's still daylight. I'm sure those creatures will occur during the night." I said.

"Don't blame yourself, Sky. It's not your fault." She said.

Gail hugged me tightly. I can feel the warmth inside of her, I can clearly see her sentiments towards me, and I can also sense her two soft organs; her breast. It's filled with men's gratification and aspiration.

I hugged her back, and an unlucky thing took place. I got tripped, I lost my balance momentarily. That made my chest collide with hers.

Gail got mad and pushed me away with an extra super thwack. Her face becomes red, and it seems that she's embarrassed. She put her arms on her chest, making her arms crossed.

"Sex Maniac!" She yelled.

"No, it's not what you're thinking, Gail. I just lost my footing, that's all." I said.

"Oh, I'm sorry." She said.

"Let's go to the river, there's a river near the old man's place. We're going to wash your wound by the flowing water to avoid infection. It's fine. It's fresh and clean." Gail said.

I just nodded to her as approval.

While walking, I asked Gail.

"Are you really sure that the water from the river is clean and safe?" I said.

" One hundred percent sure." She said.

When we get to the river, I was amazed by its crystal clear water. The school of fish will steal your sight. Gail took my hands and rinsed it with flowing water. The fists soaked in blood have gone. She wiped my hands with a piece of cloth.

We agreed to sit under a tree to have a short break. Gail settled by my side. I didn't see that coming. I just let her sit beside me 'cause obviously that's the right thing I must do. Am I expecting something? I don't know what she's thinking presently, but I'm just here producing high-pitched sounds made by my lips that are partly closed.

"Right now, I think they'd notice it, that we are gone." I said.

"Apparently." She muttered.

I've felt that my throat is dry, so I rushed into the river to take some sip and to get out of the state of being dehydrated or thirsty.

There's a sound coming from the underwater. Bubbles occurred from the river. Is it because some organic substances fell into the water and began decomposing? That's when they release a compound known as surfactants. It allows the air to flow more simply with water and creates those bubbles since the reciprocity breaks the surface tension. The stream got unsteady.

I was stunned when an entity or object appeared in the water, distinctly.

"Gail!" I yelled.

I thought it was a large fish, so I called Gail.

"There's a big fish here," I said.

It's so stupid, Guys. I was really happy and excited when I saw it. Gail quickly got up and ran in my direction.

"Where?" She said with an excited voice tone.

The water in the river splashed, and a fish emerged.

Gail and I were dumbfounded. It's a woman with a tail of a snake.

"You're stupid, Sky! She shouted. "It's not a fish."

"Amazing! Was that a mermaid?" I said.

We backed off from the riverbank.

"How dare you to place your filthy and bloody hands on my river." She said.

"Sorry, there's no sign posted here," I said.

"You fool!" She yelled.

A water current from the river and unmistakably made by the Mermaid blasted us. She created large currents constantly and threw it all to both of us.

"Gail, why is she like that? She could have been a beautiful Mermaid. Her beauty is alluring, and you, what's rare? She got a big breast that is glistening." I whispered.

"And you really have the time to peek at her breast, ah, while we're trying to kill that woman?" She said and kicked my butt.

"I didn't," I said. It's just she was naked. She doesn't have a bra."

Wait, we forgot to introduce ourselves. I mean every time there's a new character, there should be a "knowing at each other scene", right?

"Who are you?" I said.

The fish-like being didn't emit a word. Did she hear what I've said, or it's just she can't understand?

"Sky, stop talking nonsense," Gail said.

Gail told me to step away. Her aura becomes serious. I'm clueless about it. It looks like she's going to stop that mermaid from the greediness of it. With no hesitation, Gail confidently walked towards the mermaid. The Mermaid's really had no idea what's going on, why Gail continues to stroll like a model.

In an instance, Gail slapped the mermaid with her palms.

When I saw what she did, I couldn't stop myself from laughing. That was a stupefying and shocking scene they had. Is this a soap opera or a telenovela, where you can slap and hurt your enemy, freely and confidently?

The Mermaid seemed hurt. The pain there can be seen. It looks like the Mermaid got annoyed, and she wants to slap Gail back.

So this set was supposedly a battle between a water creature and a maverick lady exchanging superpowers but ended up in a slapping scene.

The Mermaid is so irritated, she lifted her hands, and a large whirlpool arose on the surface. She's maneuvering it.

"Oh, no! We really did dive on death." I said.

"Don't worry, Wolfhart, I got you. I'll show you something special." She said.

I approved of what she had said and stared at her. Gail grinned and grabbed her dagger from her big thighs covered by her skirt.

"Do you want to see how I remove scales from the fish?" She said.

I just shrugged and opened my eyes widely.

"Three Vital Slashes!" Gail yelled.

She quickly runs and dives into the Mermaid like a blink of an eye or a thunderbolt from the heavens above. Those legs and feet of her are really insane. In just one dash, she's now into the Mermaid. Gail threw his first strike with her right arm. She gashed the Mermaids Head. After that, she rotates her body to absorb much force. Gail slit the arms of the Mermaid, and the last slashed is on the tails of the Mermaid. She was like three-sixty.

But it didn't cut the head, arms, and tails of the Mermaid. It only made a small wound, and I'm sure that in just a few hours or a day, it will heal.

"You'll regret this, Kids. The realm is now open." She yelled.

The mermaid giggled. Finally, she spoke up for herself. The mermaid dove into the water and swam to the

underground, as fast as she wants.

"What did she say? A realm opened?" I said.

"I don't know either," Gail said.

"I guess it's settled now," I said.

Gail and I headed to the house of Maximilian. We decided to hide everything from them, including the scenario where I punched the tree continuously. That was really emotional and OA stuff.

When we are back, we're covered in sweat.

"Hey, what happened?" Artha said.

"Nothing." Gail and I in unison.

"I smell something fishy," Rea said.

She looked like a spy or a secret agent from the government, finding evidence. Thanks for the acting practice earlier when we're heading here, we are not that suspicious as we thought.

Time check. 2:21 in the afternoon. They told me that Maximilian is waiting for me at the Balcony. I quickly went to him and asked him to resume our training. Gail entered the room to wash up herself because the creature literally smells fishy. She had to change her clothes.

Maximilian and I went outside.

"Mr. Maximilian, can I change my clothes?" I said.

"Sure, you're really stinky, Boy!" He said, and laughed.

"Heyyy, I'm not. My clothes are just wet." I said.

I ran inside. I picked my extra shirt from my duffel bag and changed my clothes. Yeah, and I took some candies. A thing came to my thoughts. I have a Filipino uncle. Back when I was there, he always mentioned that he saw a creature on the water. My uncle is moving or going to the lake near to them frequently, to catch some fish. He said that he saw a mermaid, but instead of having a regular fishtail, they have water snakes or eel tails and the upper body of them is a human female.

Uncle told me that those creatures have an alluring face, straight flowing hair, and a coca-cola body. I mean, they had a curvaceous body. He also said that humor spread on their barangay. It is mentioned as a barrio. It is the smallest executive division in the Philippines, and it is the term for the ward or district, a village of the native Filipino.

Those creatures are ruthless to adults yet merciful to children. It is due to mankind's disrespectful deeds concerning the environment. It is associated with waters, rivers, seas, lakes, and wells. They are guardians. Oh, yeah. Naga is the name of it.

I hurriedly get back to the outside for the reason that Maximilian might infuriate and slice me into pieces. When I got back, Maximilian's swinging his sword to the left and right. I grabbed the wooden sword in the basket.

"Let's begin." He said.

I thought that my idea was brilliant, so I attacked Maximilian repeatedly. Slashing him back and forth, some of mine had struck into him. With my final full swing, Maximilian parried it with his own bare hands.

"Yo, Kid!" He said.

He snatched my hands and turned it. He saw my skin got torn off. I moved my hands out of him and placed it in my pocket.

"Your attacks were weak, Kid. There is no impact. Do you think that that struck was enough to hurt me? You didn't scratch on me either." He said.

I didn't speak.

"You're not in the condition, Kid. What's bothering you?" He asked me.

"Nothing, Sir," I said.

"Go, soak it in a bucket of ice and wrap it up by a gauze or a piece of cloth." He said.

I went back to the house and looked for a bucket, then moved to check for a fridge and to get some ice cubes. I didn't find a fridge since there's nothing. His house doesn't have electricity, yet I smiled.

Why pick up some ice from the fridge when Ice Prince is there? I called Artha, then he came. Artha lifted his hands, and it looks like he gathered some particles or substances into his palm.

Afterward, he gave me human-size ice.

"It's huge. I'll just break it and pick some."

"It is up to you, Wolfhart." He muttered.

Artha goes back to the balcony along with Rea. They're playing a card game; war. The losers will receive hits from an object ten times. Oh, yeah. They chose a wooden object. It's up to them if they really want to smash each other's heads. I think Artha doesn't know that word called "feminism."