The cold onshore breeze blew right through Yurika's cloak. Wintry air swirled around her taking every lick of warmth it could. The dampness of the sand was making its way through her leather trousers. Her breathing was now visible under the lit of campfire.

Her hair fell loose on her face, tousled, tangled by the wind. Her face had become as pale as her hair the moment she heard what Lucia just said.

"Monster beacon?!" she repeated the word, trying to swallow the meaning. Even after Lucia explanation, her brain was still having a hard time to digest it, "but isn't that mean..."

"Yes, that's mean I won't be sleeping again tonight," Lucia said with a sour face, but she still managed to pull her lips to a tight smile, "don't worry I won't drag you two in... for one full day at least."

"What?!"

"I just need you to fight for me for a couple of hours, I--"

"You do know that the one who will fight for you would just be me, right?!" Yurika blurted, she then pointed at Marc, "he can't really do much with only one capable hand, also not without his glasses and-- and I can't protect all of us alone, not even for a couple of hours!"

"You are not alone," Lucia firmly replied, "you know that already."

"What do you mean?" Yurika complained.

"The elemental spirits," Lucia's eyes pierced through Yurika's, "I was actually quite surprised when the air element notified me about your whereabout. Didn't expect you will acknowledge their presence at this early stage. You really are something, aren't you Yurika?"

"You... you can see them too? I mean you know about the elements are not just things but living beings too?" Yurika was taken aback.

Lucia nodded and she stared at the girl curiously, "the question is how did you know about that facts?"

'Don't tell her!' Marc voice abruptly entered Yurika's mind, stopping her plan in mentioning his name. She could sense the intensity of the glare he gave burning at the back of her head. Lucia was watching her, waiting for an answer, but she didn't know what to say.

"Yurika?" Lucia called out, but then she clicked her tongue unhappily, "you know what, let's save it until later. I don't really have time for this now. Please do like what I said, protect me for a couple of hours. I promise you it will be worth it."

Lucia then stood and moved toward where Marc was sitting. She then drew something on the sand around him, her lips mumbled a chant and the scribble on the sand glowed.

"This is just a simple barrier. It will hide you from the monsters. Stay put no matter what. I can't promise your safety if you don't," the Zanj then turned her attention to Yurika, "there, it should lessen your burden a bit. They won't attack Marc, so you can focus on keeping me alive for the next couple hours."

"Why don't you use that barrier on yourself and me too?"

Lucia huffed loudly, "my curse isn't that light my dear. You will be saved of course because what they want is me. Also, I am more than capable of fighting them off by myself if it is needed, but I am requesting your help. Would you do it or not?"

Regret washed over her like the long slow waves on the beach. She knew that she had said something that sounded selfish. It was impossible to retract what she had said before.

"Of course I'll help you," Yurika responded, then she murmured, "Sorry if I sounded selfish before. I didn't mean to."

Lucia smiled gently, "don't worry, you are just tired and no one would like the idea of fighting alone. I will try to be quick so you won't have to face them all alone for a long time."

"Okay, I should get prepared and you too," Lucia then sauntered, heading towards the tent before Yurika's question stopped her.

"Prepare for?"

"Well, do you really want to see a naked body of a male Zanj in a ripped girls clothes?" teased Lucia, "my, my, you are a naughty girl."

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

"Waaah! What no! GO! I don't want to see any of that!" she babbled with a face that looked like a ripe tomato.

"Are you sure~~?" Lucia started to undress. In a slow manner, she unbuttoned her top, starting from her cloak, then goes to her dress shirt, while eyeing Yurika with mocking eyes.

"Stop!! what are you doing!!" Yurika shouted in terror while trying to put Lucia's cloak back to the Zanj's shoulder which was easily thrown back out.

TACK!

A random branch flew and hit Lucia in her head.

"Ouch! Who--?" complained to Lucia as she looked at Marc who just gazed at her with a straight face.

"Do we have the time to fool around?" Marc said coldly.

"You sure can aim for someone who said he was blind without his glasses," Lucia grumbled, "both of you like to extort violence. Treat me more gently please, after all, I am the last of my kind."

"It's easy to aim when you two make such a commotion," Marc pointed up the obvious, "stop teasing the poor girl and go on with whatever you need to do."

"Fine," Lucia moped then dragged her cloak and drifted toward the tent.

"Thanks," Yurika bowed gratefully to Marc.

'No worries, I don't want to see naked guy body either. No matter how blurry it is,' Marc shook his head with an irked face, 'besides I am the one who needs to say thank you.'

'For?'

'For not telling Lucia that I was the one who taught you about the elemental spirits.'

'Oh..., why don't you want her to know?'

'I have my reason.'

Then silence slowly entered between them, like a mist that fell in the cold morning. Nothing but the sound of waves and the sea wind filling the void of voice.

The reflection of the flames danced and leaped in Yurika's eyes, reaching hungrily for anything that they could consume to fuel their wrath.

'You should use the waiting time to gain fire and water spirit trust too,' Marc breaking the silence.

'Do we have enough time for that?'

'Well, we'll never know. However, it's better to try than doing nothing. You'll need more power like it or not. Especially if what Lucia said is true. I am basically useless and can't help you much.'

'You are not useless,' Yurika gazed on the man who was squinting at the sky, 'besides, your condition right now was also because of saving me. So don't say you are useless.'

Marc then faced Yurika, the corners of his lips lift up to a smile. There was something about his smile that she couldn't really point out. There's a glint of gratitude but also sadness in his eyes. His smile died faster than wisps of smoke dissipated after a candle being snuffed out. His face returned to the same poker and straight face.

'Don't waste time, you should do it now. I will try to alert you in case the monsters showed up.'

Yurika nodded and started to concentrate on her surrounding. The sound of the waves, the flickers of fire. Slowly she drifted into the semi-consciousness, her breathing gradually synchronized with the lullaby of the waves. Unaware of her own heart beating or the rise and fall of her chest, her soul wandered to the land of the spirits.

It all started the same way as the previous, she felt like floating in a dark giant cocoon, the gentle hug of the Earth spirit. She also could hear the soft tingling voice of the air spirit buzzing around her, trying to say something that she barely could understand.

'Back so soon my child?' The soothing hum from Earth spirit nudged her awake, 'What are you seeking for?'

The floating sensation gently shifted and there she was standing at the same valley as before.

"I am seeking the chance to have an audience with the Fire spirit and Water spirit," she said clearly.

'Fire spirit? Are you not afraid?' The air spirit swirled around her, playing with her loose hair, 'even me... I am scared of him. My brother is very fierce and too serious. I can't play with him.'

"But I need his help..."

'I am afraid you are not ready to meet Fire, my child. Go back to the land of human and came back when you are ready,' Earth spirit beamed with authority.

"Please, at least let me meet Water spirit?' begged Yurika.

'My child, she has been waiting for you to acknowledge her presence.'

Then abruptly the scenery around her changed. She wasn't standing on top of the hill anymore. Scrunching her toes, she felt the softness of the sand, damped by the retreating tide. The sand blurs out in a blissful trance, the shore fading into liquid gold, vivid in the brilliant light.

Yurika gazed to the far off horizon, the sun hues melting into the sky and ocean like a divine painting. The lacy waves came, transient yet loyal. Then she saw it, above the waves that rising and falling, there were tiny shapes of humanoids riding the waves. They were dancing with the sun as their lighting. Sparkling like jewels on top of a frilly dress.

"Are you water spirit?"

There was a soft singing voice, almost like a sigh. It came and went like the sound of the waves.

'I am the artist of the elements, I am the Water Spirit and I will bestow my strength to you, the chosen one.'

---

There was stillness in the air, only the waves sound and the crackling of the campfire filling the air. Lucia was still inside the tent and Marc sat feeling uneasy. He focused on his surroundings while watching the girl next to him. If he could see, even with one hand he won't have trouble to help in protecting Lucia and even protecting her. To depend on everything to such a young girl didn't make him feel comfortable at all.

Then he sensed it, a sharp tingling that made his body shiver. If hatred was paintable he would have seen the air in scarlet color. Even with his lack of vision, he knew that the beast and monster were gathering, circling them, and he gulped at the intensity of the air.

'Yuu! They are coming!'