Priestess Of The Land

Tria immediately flew towards where Chukah had landed.

"Chukah!!!"

Chukah who was trying to get back up heard Tria's voice and saw her coming. He smiled.

"I'm fine, princess Esmak wasn't kidding when she said to be careful with that girl's brother, he's a freaking crocodile!" he said before patting down his clothes.

"A crocodile?" Tria was shocked, how the heck did that guy become a crocodile, but before she could imagine what that guy would look like, she saw the twenty meters monsters swarming his way over.

"His brute force is no joke, I'll take care of him, he seems to be protecting his little sister, I'll distract him while you get to her."

"Hm, be careful," Tria said before discreetly going past Ro to find his sister if she could find her maybe that'll calm him down. After all, she came to put an end to the Eye clan, not the local people there, although she didn't understand why that pair of brother and sister would turn their back on their own.

While Chukah was keeping Ro busy, Tria hurried to Buni, she had to find her fast before that god showed up, she had to clear the island and let Salihafa be free before they had a chance to keep her captive again.

It didn't take long for Tria to find Buni, who was lying down with a blanket over her trembling body. There was a large wound on her chest that seemed to be from Chukah, and with such a wound, she should have been dead...Tria wondered...so she went close to touch her. Buni felt her presence and tried to back away but in vain. Tria took a look at her spirit and she was shocked at what she found.

"You? Is that why you and your brother have turned your backs on your people?"

Buni heard her question, and realizing that there was no longer any hopes, she broke down drying.

"Sob...You don't understand...sob..my brother is not a bad person, it's all because of me, it's all because of my selfishness, whatever you do please don't kill him, I'll die...let me die in his place..." said Buni in between cries.

Tria could tell she wasn't lying and felt her genuine pain, except there was one problem...

"Little girl, you are already dead, you are but a shell that's been borrowing the Eye clan's power to give false hopes...I can see why your brother had no choice but to serve these people, it was all for you..."

Hearing Tria's words, Buni cried even harder," They lied to us! They said as long as my brother helped to keep the merpeople away in fear, they'll keep me alive! When did I die? Why did I die? What about big brother?"

The little cried harder and harder, and in time her cries had reached the crocodile who had, in the middle of a battle, run back to check on his little sister.

Upon reaching Buni's location, Ro had turned back to a human and ran straight her. He had already been exhausting himself keeping that form, so when he changed back to a human, he was so weak that his body was shaking uncontrollably. but his will to protect his sister did not falter.

"Buni are you alright? What did she do to you?", Ro glared at Tria, "What did you do to her?"

Tria shook her head in sympathy.

"You should ask yourself that question."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Ro asked glancing back and forth from Buni to Tria.

"Big brother! It's all my fault!" Buni's voice sounded from behind him.

"Buni, don't talk! Don't worry, I'll make you all better, let me just take care of them and I'll take you away-

"No! don't you understand! I'm already dead, I'm not your little sister, I'm just a puppet that the Eye created to use you, to make you do their dirty work."

"..."

"Did you hear me?" Buni yelled at Ro with tears in her eyes and pushing him away.

Ro smiled down at Buni, and patted her head.

"...I know, I always knew...I'm sorry for not telling you, I just...I just wanted you to be alive still.."

"Big brother..." Buni said faintly and hugged Ro tightly.

Tria walked towards them and touched them both over the shoulder.

"She only has two days left," Tria whispered next to Ro's ear.

"...t-thank you," Ro answered with gratitude, not only did Tria prolong Buni's life, she even healed him as well.

With everyone off Salihafa's back, after centuries of torture, she was finally able to submerge under water, washing off what was left on her back, and got back her glistening shell back.

Tria and Chukah did not go anywhere, but she had advised the merpeople to go home because she knew with this next opponent on the way, she could not guarantee their safety.