"We are always here to help our masters." The two familiars said in unison.

Snow stepped back and white light flashed around her.

*SWISH*

Snow has now turned into her white tiger form. Tempest on the other hand took flight. Red light engulfed his body while flying upwards.

*SWISH*

Tempest has turned into his red phoenix form.

I looked at the direction of the lake with determination etched in my face.

"I will get my husband and the others back safely." I said full of determination.

When I looked around, it was eerily quiet. The few men that we saw walking slowly in a daze were now nowhere to be found. A mysterious fog has started to envelope around the lake. It was thick that we can only see a few feet in front of us.

"Tempest, can I lend your eyes for a bit?" I asked.

"As you wish, my lady." Tempest replied.

As I recall, as Regaleon's familiar, Tempest was connected to him in a different way. I remember Regaleon telling me that he can see what Tempest can see if they were in sync. This was a feature Tempest has a familiar.

"I will make a temporary contract with you for now so that I can lend your abilities." I said.

Tempest was towering over me. He bowed down his head to come closer to me. I outstretched my arms and held his head carefully. Slowly, our foreheads connected to each other and I started to connect with him. This was the way how I can forge a temporary contract with other familiars. With the permission of the familiar, someone that had magical abilities with high aptitude can forge contracts with beast. Beast that have masters can also forge temporary contracts with other magic users like what I was doing right now. Being connected with the temporary contract, I can use his abilities that only he can lend to Regaleon.

"Now fly to the sky and help me see what is beyond this fog." I said.

Tempest took a step back and flapped his huge wings. The fog that was around us was blown away with his ascent, but it still came back after Tempest has flown up.

"So, I cannot use my magic to blow this fog away." I realized.

I thought of using wind magic to blow the fog away, but with what just happened I knew the fog will just return.

"This is really no ordinary fog." I concluded.

"What can I do to help, your majesty." Tricia was standing close to me.

I looked at Tricia, deep in thought. I knew that Tricia was not a warrior or a fighter. Taking her with me will be dangerous but leaving her here without any certainty that she would be safe was more dangerous.

I am sure that the ancient creature that Snow was talking about is at the direction of the lake, but I did not know what other dangers there are in these woods. There might be other ancient creatures that I do not know of lurking in the darkness.

"It would be best to stay with me Tricia." I replied. I saw a sword belonging to the men in our group lying nearby the tent. "Here, I am not sure if you know how to use it but the basic is just to thrust the pointy end to an enemy." It was an odd advice, but I do not have the time to teach her how to use a sword.

"I-I understand your majesty." Tricia nodded and took the sword.

"Snow, I will count on you to guard our rear." I ordered.

"You can count on me." Snow replied.

"Okay then, let us survey the surroundings first." I said and closed my eyes.

I concentrated with my eyes closed and in no time, I was connected to Tempest's eyes. I slowly opened my eyes and saw what Tempest saw.

"Y-Your majesty… your eyes." Tricia said with a startled voice. "It is the same as that big birds."

"That just means that their temporary contract was a success." Snow said. "Alicia can now see from above. Tell us what you can see."

Using the link with Tempest, I saw the clouds in the sky. It was like I am the one flying, it was a thrilling feeling. The vision slowly looked down below. His eye view was wide, and I saw the vast trees in the vicinity. The clearing that was near the lake was covered with thick fog. As I can see, the fog only reached until the edge of the woods and only filled the clearing.

'So, this fog was concentrated in the clearing.' I concluded.

At the center of the clearing, I can see the lake. The lake was clear from the fog, and the clouds also have a large whole just on top. The moon was being reflected on the lakes surface. It was like a mirror in this view.

"Tempest, can you zoom in on the lake?" I asked.

'Yes.' I heard Tempest reply telepathically because of our temporary link.

After that, my linked vision with him zoomed in on the lake. I can clearly see the edge of the lake and so the men of our group standing there in a daze. They were all looking at the center of the lake, as if their gaze were being glued to one thing.

I scanned the faces of the men standing and frantically searched for one man, my husband. I saw the familiar faces of the men I was traveling with. These were all fellow Atlantians that have magic abilities and have high aptitude in fighting, but they were powerless right now. Whatever was doing this is something new and we do not know of.

'Where are you, Leon?' I desperately called out his name in my heart, hoping that I could find him.

And like a prayer being answered, I saw him at last. Regaleon was standing at the very edge of the lake. He was wearing the clothes he had before we slept, a white loose shirt and black pants. And just behind him was William. I sighed in relief, seeing them safe for now. Like the men we saw earlier, they were also in a daze. Their eyes were open, but it was lifeless, as if they were asleep with their eyes open.

"Tempest, can you focus on the center of the lake." I told him.

Tempest visions focused on the center of the lake. The men were all looking at that direction, and I suspected that whatever creature was doing this sound, it was found there.

At the center of the lake, I saw what seemed to be a large rock protruding the waters surface. On top of that I saw something that I only saw in the ancient books I have read. The creature had long blonde hair and its body was shaped like that of a woman. The only difference is that her lower part had a fish tail rather than two legs. I can clearly see the shiny scales of the fish tail reflecting the moonlight.

"Is that… a siren?!" I was surprised.

It was no doubt a half human woman and half fish, the typical description of a siren. Like the books have depicted them, the siren I saw had an upper body of a woman. They are said to be beautiful, to lure their intended prey, male sailors. These sirens are said to be living at the ocean depths. They use their beauty to lure in sailors, and if their face does not do the trick, they use their singing to put their prey into a trance. According to the testimonies of sailors that were able to survive siren attacks, the unknowing sailors that were under the siren's trance are said to have beautiful dreams. And those that does not come out of this trance would die without knowing what happened.

'But why is a siren here inland?' I wondered. 'I thought their habitat were in open seas.'

I can still hear the siren singing when her gaze shot up towards me in an instant. No, to correct it the siren's gaze was directed to Tempest. The song ended abruptly, and I felt some kind of energy swirling from where the siren is.

"Tempest, be careful!" I warned Tempest.

My worries were confirmed when I saw the siren braced herself and shout towards the sky. The force of her voice sends huge sound waves towards Tempest. Luckily, he was able to dodge a direct hit, but the waves had thrown him off.

The strong sound we heard from the siren made our ears hurt like it was going to burst. It felt like my eardrums would bleed out. The three of us were covering our ears to ease the pain.

"Are you all okay?" I asked after the sound faded away.

"I-I guess so." Tricia replied.

"That hurt like hell." Snow replied while shaking her head.

Snow had more clear hearing, no wonder that kind of attack hurts more for her.

"Tempest, are you okay?" I asked worriedly.

It was silent for a while and my heart was thumping with worry.

'I am fine.' Tempest said. 'But that creature… she knows we are here.'

"There was no helping it." I said. "We are in their turf. I bet surprise attacks will not do."

When my vision connected to Tempest once again, I saw the men of our group started moving towards the lake. I saw Regaleon stepped on the water and half of his body was submerged instantly. My heart was thumping hard knowing that my husband is in danger. By then I saw something in the water swimming. Not just one or two, but it was a group of sirens swarming around towards the men.

My mind just went blank. All that I could think of now is that I do not want the hands of those sirens anywhere near my husband.

"TEMPEST, BURN THE SURROUNDINGS!" I ordered.

edited by: nalyn

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