"You know...you guys can actually help me out here instead of literally doing nothing."
I groan angrily, my hands aching as I forcefully row the boat over the sea as the girls get comfortable on it.
The boat itself was larger than the common ones, able to accumulate a maximum of eight people. It also came with a wooden chest built into the boat at the back, completed with two wide seats on both sides, with Kitsune and Mitsune sharing a seat while the girl in the cosplay occupies the other.
Not too shabby, if only it came with a stirring wheel and a sail. I stop rowing and place the paddle in the boat while catching my breath.
"OK I can't i need a break and food, haven't eaten in a while. In a matter of fact I haven't eaten since I was here.
"You humans and your obsession with food...fine, just make sure to return to rowing after your break."
Mistune addresses me while looking out into the sea as Kitsune continues her usual yawning, her eyes baggy as always.
I move past the girls to the chest, opening it as a take out the small wide box given to me.
"I didn't know the folks back where so kind...too kind.
I murmur to myself as I open it, revealing some sushi and a wooden spoon from the side.
"Sushi eh? Not that surprising since their village is built near the sea."
"Sushi? What's that?"
The cos player asks me as she gett off her seat and leaned closer to me to have a good look of contents of the box, her hands on my shoulder.
"Oh it's basically fish wrapped in seaweed?"
Her eyes widen as her grips my shoulders tightly as she repeat the word 'fish'.
"Do you have a deal with fish or something?
I jokingly said as I picked up one of the Sushi with my wooden fork and put it while in my mouth, but in an instant she tackled me to the floor of the boat.
Her elbow hit my stomach, causing me to let out the Sushi I ate, her sharp nails inches away from my face.
"I'll rip your face open if you dare to take a bite. I swear to you I...I..."
She takes a look at the saliva covered sushi on the floor, causing her to let go of me and put up her hands on her mouth before rushing to the side of the boat to release the contents of her stomach into the water.
"Are you sea sick?"
I ask her as I get up, grabbing the fallen box and wooden fork on the floor.
After some time she looks back at me continuing to eat some of the sushi, her face becoming pale as she goes back to vomiting into the water.
I offer some of the sushi to the gods but they both refuse as Kitsune takes a look at the tiger.
"We don't need to eat anything as we never get hungry. Even if we need to we would never eat the life of the living, deceased or not. And it looks like someone else doesn't view the sushi the same as you."
I glance the girl who know stopped vomiting and panted while taking a seat and felt a pinch of guilt. I took a look of the sushi inside the box for a while before turning around and shoving all of them into my mouth, chewing then swallowing hard before throwing the box far into the sea.
"There i am finished, happy now"
Both the gods nod as the lion girl gives me a disgusted look.
"Do you think that makes us even...hmph I can't wait to pound you when our fight comes."
She growls at me before looking away. I ignore her as I move on to rowing the boat.
After some minutes it gets overly quiet...too quiet. I haven't been in this situation before especially with women, not that as a pervert or anything. Iam not the type of guy to socialise.
I look up at the sky as I try to come up with something to break the silence. Oh how bout I ask them their names.
"Umm we know we practically met out of nowhere and i am guessing we should introduce ourselves properly."
Silence...
I sigh as I continue to rowing the boat. Was that weird? No i don't think so. Why are they giving me the silent treatment.
Suddenly I sweet calm voice finally breaks it.
"I am Kitsune, forgive me for not introducing myself properly earlier.,"
Name:Kitsune
Role:God
Attributes:Unknown
Mitsune sighs as she gets ready to introduce herself.
"My name is Mitsune. Pleasure to meet you even though the way we met up was...surely unique."
Name:Mitsune.
Role:God
Attributes:Unknown
They glance at the tiger girl waiting for her turn.
"What?"
She looks away as she crosses her hands before sighing under her breath before stomping the floor.
"You can call me Aquame, that's all you need to know."
Name: Aquamarine
Role: Unknown
Elemental attribute: Fire
An uncontrollable smile covers my face as I get used to rowing the boat. Atleast we don't feel like total strangers now. Guess I should introduce myself then.
"I am Light and....and iam going to acquire a badass power, probably cheat magic."
Aquamarine let's out a mocking laugh as tears of laughter fall from her eyes.
"Cheat magic? Don't be ridiculous, we all know those capable of acquiring cheat magic are the chosen ones."
"Actually he actually is the chosen one,atheist if he is capable that is."
Kitsune cuts her short, causing her to widen at me.
"Wait. Your one of them? Damn how many are they gonna send? I get that they managed to keep the demon king at bay but i think it would be easier for them to just kill him instead of stalling him like cowards."
Mistune bit her lips as she Aquamarine, sweat running down her face as her mouth moves on its mouth I panic.
"Your wrong! What they do is not out of cowardness. It's better to prolong the actions of the demon king for as long as possible permanently. Some might have failed to do so butthat doesn't guarantee that he won't fail too."
Everyone went silent as Mitsune took a deep breath, looking away as her cheeks flush a slight shade of red, looking away.
As I try to keep it together rowing the boat itself get a glance of an island from afar, it must be it.
I seemed to be right for Mitsune got up and nodded as she also noticed the island from afar.
"Yep that's it alright. Haven't changed a bit.
As we got closer to the island I felt a slight shiver through my body as if iam being searched from the inside.
"Woah do you guys feel this too?"
"Don't worry you might not be able to see it but its a force field that scans for sign of dark energy from our body, simply its used to determine whether we are demon's or not.
The feeling gets stops as we reach the island, setting the boat on the ground of the island to keep it in place. The island was occupied by fully grown trees...like a lot of them, both having reddish leaves for some reason. Looks more than an island of trees to me.
" OK you should follow us from now on Light and Aquamarine is it? Sorry but you better stay behind, it concerns him."
"Fine, I understand. Just hurry up."
She agrees as she goes back to the boat.
********************************************
We move through some trees, jump over fallen logs until we come across an open space where two giant statues stood next to each other. One of them was in poor shape, poor guy did not even have a torso only legs. The other was in good shape never the less as some holes and scratches were present on it.
The statue had its hands around a rusted sword implanted in the ground, which was odd cause this island was practically non-existent of any form of life. Are these the elemental statues?
" What's the deal with these statues?"
I say as i inspect the rusted sword, a hand coming in contact with one of the legs of the severely damaged statue, that being Kitsune.
"We were not given much information of this place, but it remember being told that a very long time ago it was once a shrine, serving the purpose of giving the beings of this world magic."
She sighs before pointing at the sword i was inspecting.
"I believe you need to turn that sword to the side to reveal the entrance to the shrine. I heard it was transferred underground so i have no doubt that would be the switch."
I try to turn it to the side but won't budge a little. I give it some chances then give up as my hands start to ache."
"It won't budge. Are you sure about it being a switch?"
"I am sure of it. I remembered too."
Mistune replies as she approaches the rusted sword, putting her hands on mine.
"We should be able to turn it if we both try"
I nod as we use all our strength to push it to the side. The sword budged for a bit...then a second time before slowly turning. The sword cracks as we manage to turn it to the side, eventually breaking into pieces.
The ground shakes a little before a piece of the ground besides the statue cracks open, revealing a hole containing some worn out stairs.
"Can't believe it worked, should we go in or..."
Both twins nod in agreement before i could finish before leading me to the entrance i had no idea where it leads to.
*******************************************************************************
"That idiot. Doesn't he know how precious seal life is? And the nerves to digest that sushi food like nothing. I can't keep up this damn act."
She kicks her legs in frustration while resting on the boat, sighing as she looks up at the sky before getting up into diverting her gaze to the sea.
A common fish from the sea jumping into the boat startles her as she moves back, before relieving another sigh.
"Life difficult for you eh?"
She grabs the fish, glaring at it. She feels her stomach growl louder as her breathing becomes heavier and heavier.
"How about i....end it for you. I...haven't eaten for a long time. J-just a little bit won't hurt right? Its not you....its me."
With that she starts devouring the fish, some bits falling off, some bits of tears leaking from her eyes until finally swallowing it whole.
"Forgive me."
She wipes her tears before licking the fallen bits off the boat. The world really is difficult.
*****************************************************************************
The place was dark...except for a mixture of some red and orange light ahead. I moved my hands around, feeling rough walls, a highway maybe?
"Its soo dark here..."
"We know light...just keep following the light and stop moving your hands round. I can feel them poking me."
"Oh my bad?"
The light become clearer and clearer before it landing on our feet. I feel my body hit something rough, causing me to back away.
"Ow...what was that?"
"A door.."
I move my arms around the area until they land on handles.
" Oh your right, its unclear but i can see the handles barely."
I grab the handles and pull them.
Nothing.
Ok? I push them, fortunately the door responds as i manage to open it slowly. Needs a bit of force but nothing like the rusted sword.
The door fully opens, letting go of the handles as the light covers the room fully, revealing some pillars leading to some slightly long stairs. Reminds me of one of those throne rooms from some manga i read.
"Woah what this place?"
I ask while still moving forward, taking aware of the room around me.
"Its the elemental throne. Where the elemental gods of fire, water, earth and wind ruled over minor elements. They were the only ones who ruled over how the magic system of this world worked."
So there were gods in this world, elemental ones at that. I now know why this place was kept underground. Wounder what's the source of this light though, there are no torches or lights in this room.
We continue up the stairs where we felt some heat radiating from them, getting hotter the more we go on the stairs.
When we finally reach the top we someone curled up, crying as heat radiates from her. The radiation causes all of us to fall to our knees.
"Soo hot...i can't"
Kitsune says before collapsing to the ground from the heat.
"No...Mitsune...she...she cant...."
Mitsune too collapses, leaving me behind as i struggle to get up. We came this far i can't just fall like this.
"H-hey there...pls stop the heat."
"Huh?"
The figure looks at me, revealing a female in flames as she gets up slowly, her face blocked by the flame surround her.
"W-who are you...are you here to finally...save me. I have been in this place too long, i can't any longer or i will go insane."
Her nervous, breaking tone run shivers through my spine as i step back slightly.
"I am Light, i came for some magic power or something...are you one of the gods."
"God? I don't know what i got is anymore...wait...did you say you came for magic power. So your the next vessel...pls...make me not regret this..."
With that she starts to slowly walks up to me, reaching her hand at me. Well this is it...i can choose to run now...leave this world behind but...fuck that. This deal i too good to skip.
I reach my hand at her in respond. As our palms touch, a ring of fire surrounds us, the heat of the fire becoming too much for me to handle, resulting in me collapsing before everything goes dark.