A sweet scent

The local people knew of the dangers this world had to offer and so hardly ever left the bounds of their respective cities.

Some people were really powerful but the rest were below par when compared to the people of the western or Southern continent. So, they couldn't survive outside the city walls. They were still mildly stronger than the average human back home but I suppose it was what it was.

The people knew of the Sirens and to them, Sirens were death. However, considering I already spoke to a few and knew how to communicate maybe it was worth a shot.

"I've been drugged heavily before," I said, on our way to the shores outside. There was a small bank and shore inside the city but it didn't lead to anywhere. It was shielded by large reefs that were almost impossible to pass without shredding oneself. So, we had to venture out and travel a little. Even then it wasn't guaranteed we'd find Sirens out here. Most of them were focused on other parts of the continent where it was easier to find prey. "So, if I start acting weird, you know why."

"By the sirens?" Shia asked.

"Technically? But mostly by the pheromone monsters. They kind of… remember that cat in heat?"

"Yes?"

"Well, it's like that but nonstop and everything around you looks like a potential mate; it was really hard to keep my sanity."

She seemed a bit confused. She was in her early teens. She'd just started figuring these stuff out so maybe I shouldn't have told her. She's not that old you know. You can just say stuff like that….

"Did you? Did you 'mate' with those things?"

"I didn't."

 She didn't question. She didn't say much either.

Alustur hadn't said a word but he did stare at me with odd eyes. I suppose I was an odd boy even now. Maybe I shouldn't have said that.

Oh well.

We walked for quite a while but then reached a big pond. "What are we doing here? Shouldn't we head over to the sea?"

This pond connected to the sea, so technically it was part of it. Or so I thought at first but the water seemed different. Upon a minor taste, which wasn't recommended, I found it wasn't salty.

"You know you can get sick from that, right?" Shia said.

"I didn't get sick even after roaming inside the merman Sewers, so I'm curious if I'll get sick from this."

She face palmed herself. "What the hell were you even doing…"

"What happened to that mermaid?" Alustur asked.

"We were captured by those fishmen and they took us to their kingdom. The king was actually treating us with care. We ran away with the help of a fishman and eventually reached a giant lobster which I distracted and the goblins killed. After spending some time in with the goblins, we reached the mermaid kingdom and I bid my farewell. Come to think of it, the mermaid queen…" I didn't finish. She'd said how this journey would be a disastrous one for me and wanted to send me home. I probably should have gone home. That way I would still be under the delusion that there was a meager chance of mom being alive.

But… would it really have been okay? At least you wouldn't feel like this. But… was feelings all that mattered? What about the truth? Is the truth helping you now?

I sighed and didn't bother thinking about it. Instead, I stared at the water. "What are we doing here again?"

"You can come out now!" Alustur yelled.

Silence.

Followed by trickling sound. Something rose above and came ashore. A mermaid? No, siren. Orange hair, kind of rare. Something even rare was the fact that the lady was wearing a pretty but not revealing dress. Usually, sirens wore rather revealing stuff.

"Didn't you say you'd come earlier?" the siren said.

"I was busy with other matters. This is Sol, he is the reason we are on this journey," Alustur said.

"Ah, so he deserves my thanks for our fated encounter!" She almost smothered me but Shia grabbed my collar dragged me back. The siren snickered.

"This is Armania; she helped us a lot," Alustur said. "Although she acts that way, she is a respectable lady so do be courteous."

I suppose? I mean, she was wearing decent clothes so I suppose she was just pretending to be like this?

Probably.

But that wasn't my problem or concern. "Thank you for all the help," I said. "I appreciate you helping them, and in turn me, out."

"Don't worry about it sweetie."

"So, like Sol asked, what are we doing here? I thought we were going to the other place," Shia said.

"We will but not now," Alustur said. "Armania, we're here to request one last thing of you before we leave."

"You're leaving?" She frowned.

"Yes. We want you to lead us to your elder. We want a safe passage out of this place. As we speak, this boy's father, his last family is about to go to war."

Oh yeah, Den was probably going to fight the church. "I don't think he's that naïve," I said. "He'll probably-"

"And that's why we have to be there," Alustur said. "Do you want to lose him too??"

"Why would dad go to war? I mean he's unsatisfied with the family but he's not stupid enough to actually go to war," Shia shrugged.

Huh? Wha? I stared at Alustur. Hadn't he told her? Didn't she already know Lin was my mother and I wasn't her real brother? She should have known. Then what hell was she going on about?

Seriously….

"So," Alustur said. "Will you take us to your elder? You can refuse but, in that case, if we go there and a fight breaks out, I cannot guarantee we won't end up with blood in our hands."

"Sweetie, you talk as though you'll be unharmed in the process."

A sweet scent lingered. A very familiar sweet scent.

Alustur drew his sword and the lady's pretty face warped as fangs and nails protruded.

Sigh….