Tales Of Pristinia

Chapter 10 - Valkyrie's Resolve

Just when I was about to be overcome with despair the mighty giant kraken stopped moving. It froze, then suddenly, thunder and lightning came crashing down and severed its body. Under the point where the lightning struck was Marze, donned with her silver armor decorated with designs of silver lightning. She wore a circlet with glorious heavenly wings on its sides. On her arms were golden armbands that had the same design. And the most revealing part was the five-bladed trident that she held that sparked with lightning. She distanced herself strategically.

With one mighty raise of her trident she summoned thunder and lightning which came crashing down finishing the injured kraken. However, it was not over yet. The kraken completely regenerated! But Marze did not falter. She thwarted every attack the kraken raised against her. With great swings she cut off each tentacle that went her way. Marze was on par with the kraken given the difference in size. The kraken regenerated again and the battle lasted long. Slam after slam, slash after slash, the fierce battle ensued and the whole area shook. Marze seems to have started feeling the fatigue of the battle so she attempted to end the battle. She aimed for the eye of the kraken and she threw the trident. "Lightning Strike," she shouted. With her throw, lightning sparks flew around the battlefield. The kraken covered using its tentacles but the trident cut through them like a blade slicing through leaves. The kraken's eye was hit and was blinded. However, one thing really piqued my interest. The kraken's eye was still red and it was still on berserk. I knew what it meant.

Thanks to Marze my strength was restored and my magic energy was replenished. I swam straight up to her while the kraken was still incapacitated.

"Marze!" I approached her.

She turned to me and I saw her hazelnut-colored irises brimming full of life.

"Lance!" I'm so glad you're safe." She hugged me. I felt her warmth with her tender sweet embrace.

"Marze!" I replied. "I'm glad too. But killing this thing over and over again will not end this battle. We have to purify it!"

"It can't be! The darkness has even got hold of one of Fluere's mightiest creatures?" She exclaimed. "The darkness really has spread! Let's do it Lance!"

I swam close to Marze and then held her hands. Her hands were warm even though the ocean was cold. She closed her eyes and I closed mine too. I felt her warmth even though I felt cold. My heart skipped a beat and was beating faster by the second. Then I focused my energy. We took our time since the kraken was still incapacitated. I felt the energy gathering at the point where the crystal touched my c.h.e.s.t.

"What is this feeling?" I thought. "Is this the adrenaline? The rush of the battle? Or is this something different?"

We continued the process of purification. Then that blinding flash of light appeared again. A flash that I saw even when my eyes were closed.

"Lance look!" I opened my eyes and looked at the kraken. It disappeared! The kraken completely vanished. From the place where it was, was the trident Marze threw at it.

It was lodged deep into the rocks. Marze and I swam towards it. She dislodged it and raised it.

"You seem to have changed Marze," I told her.

"You see, this trident is no ordinary trident. This is the Lightning Fang a weapon of the valkyries. And me a lancer, who have met the prerequisites of the class, upgraded to the valkyrie class when I equipped it."

"So you're a valkyrie now?" I was surprised.

"I am. It's a whole new world different from a lancer's. New skills and techniques that I do not know of suddenly appeared in my head!"

"I'm so happy for you!" I patted her shoulder.

"Thanks!"

"Anyways we better get going! This way to Marlene right?"

We swam towards Marlene. We kept asking about each other.

"How old are you Marze?"

"We'll we age differently from your race. I'm 147 years old."

"Hey! we're not that far apart. I'm still 148. And we don't age that differently, only humans and demi-humans age fast, all other races have very long lifespans." I replied.

We kept swimming towards Marlene. Until we came to an underwater hill, we went over it and from a distance we saw its gates.

"That's Marlene!" Marze said.

"Let's get going!"

We hurriedly swam towards the closed gates. When we came close, the gates opened and we were welcomed into a beautiful city. Marlene wasn't like any other mer city. Its buildings were made of coral but they had intricate designs embedded into them. I even saw on coral designed like a Greenleaf tree, which is only found in Allyn. Its merpeople were also kind and were very open to strangers.

"This is a bizarre place!" I said.

"Marlene is the center of souther cultural diversity in Fluere. Merpeople all over the kingdom flock here."

"I see!"

"I hear they even get guests from nations, but not from the warring ones. So which means..."

"I'm not welcome."

"Yeah, but thanks to your Transformation spell, no one will know that you're an elf."

"Anyways, we need to find the building for other races.

So we swam to find the blue coral, meant for other races.

Whilst swimming, we came across fairies and demi-humans which walked underwater freely.

"How are they doing that?" I wondered.

"I heard its a spell only for enchanters." Marze replied.

"I see!" I wondered if I could learn a spell like that! But my hope of learning that spell was lessened since, enchanters master supportive and environmental magics, while mages like me master offensive, defensive, and auxiliary magic.

"Can I ask you something?" I told Marze.

"Yeah sure, what is it?"

"How do you know all this stuff? You know the culture of each city?" I asked.

"Well, back when I was at my 80s I travelled all of Fluere and wanted to experience everything. I first went to Dumandan and since, all mermaids are singers there, I performed in main street. However, with my high-pitched voice I broke most of the stuff there. That was before I became a lancer, but now I am glad to be helpful to you, to us in this journey," Marze answered. "Well, what about you Lance? How did you reach Fluere?"

I told Marze about the day when I left home. She seemed to appreciate the my, shall we say tragic life story. We continued on and found the blue coral for other races.

"So I'll be of then!" I bade her good bye.

"I'll be going with you!" Marze caught up to me.

"But I thought..."

"Shhh, don't say another word Lance! We are here on this journey. And since I am valkyrie, I need to learn to sleep without water! My firm flaming resolve shall not be doused by trouble in sleeping!" Marze gave such a speech.

Perhaps this is a valkyrie's resolve. Crushing down every obstacle in her path. Slashing every trial that prove to be difficult. Anyways, we went inside the coral came to that space again. Marze exchanged her tail for legs and stood up. She wore an intricately designed blue skirt which reached her knee. It looked good with her battle armor.

"Let's go Lance!" She called me.

"You go first! I still need to change back."

"Come on hurry!" She came close to me and tried to dispel the magic.

"Hey cut it off!" I said.

"Drat! She doesn't know I'm n.a.k.e.d when I transform. If this keeps up the spell will be dispelled," I thought.

"It's all right Marze! You don't have to...ugh...help me!"

"It is the duty of a valkyrie to help other creatures in need!"

"Don't!"

Then suddenly the spell dispelled and I reverted back to being an elf, who wore no clothes.

"Aghhhh!" Marze shrieked.

"See I told you to stop!"

"You must be punished!"