19 Farming

The following day, Tyrel's eyelids opened. He stretched his limbs and snuggled into Saphira's tails.

Saphira giggled.

"Good morning, pup. Did you sleep well?"

Tyrel nodded.

"Yes, I did. And I feel so safe here. Your tails feel so warm and comfy."

Saphira's tails gently cradled Tyrel.

"Good. Would you like me to kill more creatures? I can dig a burrow in the coral and hide you there. I worry about something finding you."

"Yes. I would like to. I don't want to be in the way of an opportunity for you to be stronger. I can't kill anything at the moment. My blood takes hours to kill awakened creatures. Besides, I feel something may be watching us."

Tyrel closed his eyelids and thought.

'Sunny is nearby, and I don't want him to know about me. And I wonder how fate is going to get back on track. A third of the carapace scavengers died. That would make the cohort's journey easier.'

Saphira spoke.

"What do you think is watching us?"

Tyrel's eyelids opened.

"I believe it's a person. I don't want them to group with us."

Saphira sighed.

"Alright. I'll also grab all the soul shards with my tails and use telekinesis to keep them airborne."

Saphira lowered as the black sea retreated.

Tyrel shook his head.

"I don't think that's a good idea. The people watching may see it. I want to give them the impression that you're powerful, fast, and can fly. I don't want them to know anything else."

Saphira chuckled.

"Alright. But first, let me dig the hole for you. I'll collect the soul shards manually."

Tyrel's eyes widened.

"Wait! We can dig inside rock instead of coral. We could dig straight in and then up to create an air pocket. We could stay safe under the ocean and not worry about drowning. You won't have to fly all night and carry stuff."

Saphira smirked.

"I like your thinking, Tyrel. Let's do that."

Saphira dug out a burrow with her claws. It curved upward, and It went up ten feet. She also dug a large room too. One big enough to hold a giant air pocket. Saphira gently placed Tyrel down at the edge of the house-sized room and sighed.

"I don't know how much time is left until nightfall. However, I'll return the moment the sun sets. Just stay in here and rest, pup."

Tyrel smiled.

"Alright."

Saphira went to the edge of the room, crawled down the vertical part, and left.

Tyrel summoned the Cephalopod Quiver and used it as a bed. He closed his eyes and listened to the wind outside the giant burrow.

'I never thought I'd be able to relax In the Dream Realm. I thought I would constantly fight for survival, just like Nephis's cohort. I'm grateful for the kind treatment.'

Tyrel hugged a tentacle and continued pondering.

'I wonder how I'll be able to get Necrotic Fragments. I can't just wait for Fragments while Saphira massacres carapace scavengers. Perhaps I should just shoot arrows full of my blood at random nightmare creatures. It would be a useful way.'

Strangely, the spell didn't whisper anything for the rest of the day. The ground rumbled, and Tyrel tensed. A minute later, Saphira crawled up the burrow. She walked to Tyrel and lay beside him. Her crimson eyes illuminated the darkness.

"I have a surprise, Tyrel."

Tyrel smiled and unsummoned the Cephalopod Quiver.

"What's the surprise?"

Saphira smirked and opened her jaws. A stream of soul shards flowed out and formed a large pile before him. They were strangely dry.

"I have found two hundred and twenty-five awakened soul shards."

Tyrel's eyes widened.

"Did you swallow them to bring them in here?"

Saphira nodded.

"Yes, I did. Don't you remember? I have no true organs now. I can mimic them, but I don't need them. I can create multiple chambers in my body. Now I know you're hungry, so..."

Saphira opened her mouth, and a stream of meat chucks came out.

"Hehe. I made sure to get you enough food. Oh, and Tyrel. I believe since you can eat raw meat to feel full. Blood has water in it and can quench your thirst. Come here."

Tyrel did so and looked at her.

Saphira moved her head above Tyrel's.

"Open your mouth."

Tyrel's eyes widened.

"Are you going to feed me blood like how birds feed their chicks fish?"

Saphira nodded.

Tyrel chuckled and scratched the back of his head.

"Perhaps I can go one more day without drinking anything. Hehe."

Saphira frowned.

"Tyrel. This is about your survival. Your body can process raw meat. So, it can do the same with blood. I won't back down on things to do with your survival."

Saphira's tails wrapped around Tyrel.

Tyrel sighed and opened his mouth upward.

Saphira lowered her head, and her jaws touched his mouth. She opened them a little, and azure blood from the carapace scavengers flowed into Tyrel's mouth.

Tyrel winced but continued drinking. Ten seconds later, he pat Saphira's side.

Saphira closed her mouth as azure blood dripped from her lips.

"I don't like doing this either, Tyrel. But we have to do this for you to survive. I meant it when I said I'll take care of you. This includes doing unpleasant things to survive."

Tyrel nodded as he lay against her soft fur.

Saphira gently licked Tyrel's cheek.

"Go ahead and eat pup."

Tyrel did so and ate the raw meat. He didn't like the taste but ate anyway. He finished ten minutes later.

Saphira chuckled.

"There, there. Rest against my side. I'll wrap my tails around you and keep you warm."

Sea water hitting the outside of the burrow sounded.

Tyrel snuggled against Saphira's side and rested his head against her chest.

Saphira smiled and wrapped her tails around Tyrel, covering him In their soft frames.

"I'll keep you safe, warm, and comfy, Tyrel. All you need to do is relax."

Tyrel closed his eyes and listened to Saphira's mimicked heartbeat and breathing.

Saphira softly hummed until Tyrel fell asleep. She followed soon after.

***

The next morning, water rushing away sounded. Tyrel opened his eyes and nuzzled into soft tail fluff.

Saphira chuckled.

"Did you sleep well, pup?"

Tyrel nodded and hugged one of her tails.

"Yes. I slept so well in your embrace, Saphira."

Saphira smiled.

"Good. I'm going to go out and hunt again. Just stay here and relax. Those Carapace Scavengers can't get in here even if they wanted to."

Tyrel nodded, hugged her, and let go of her.

Saphira got up and left the underground room.

Tyrel summoned the Cephalopod Quiver, lay on it, and thought.

'If I could actually kill stuff quickly, I would be useful in normal battle. I need an arrow memory that could help me do that.'

Tyrel closed his eyes and curled up on the Cephalopod Quiver. His muscles relaxed.

***

Over the day, the nightmare spell announced Saphira's kills. However, he was asleep and didn't hear them. The light that entered the burrow lowered, and a deep, rumbling quake sounded. His eyes opened, and he thought.

'The dark sea is returning. I hope Saphira makes it back before it covers the opening.'

A minute later, Saphira crawled out of the vertical burrow entrance and into the room.

"I'm back, pup. Have you been alright?"

Tyrel nodded and smiled.

"Yes, I have, Saphira. You must have killed many carapace scavengers. You're getting so strong!"

Saphira chuckled.

"Of course I am."

Saphira frowned.

"I'm sorry you're not gaining any Necrotic Fragments. You would already have a core filled if my kills counted as yours, too. But at least you're rich."

Saphira opened her jaws, and two hundred and fifty soul fragments flowed out next to the earlier pile.

Tyrel's eyes widened.

"There's so many."

Saphira smiled.

"I put in a lot of effort to kill so many and harvest their Soul Fragments. Oh, and I carved up more meat and sucked out their blood."

Saphira opened her mouth, and meat chunks flowed out.

Tyrel asked.

"Saphira. Do I need to drink blood every night?"

Saphira sighed.

"Yes, you do. At least drinking blood will hydrate you. Sea water won't. I will make sure you survive even if some of the methods are not pleasant."

Tyrel nodded, opened his mouth upward, and thought.

'I remember Cassia has a Memory which produces water. Drinking refreshing cold water sounds amazing. But that would require me to join them. I'm not willing.'

Saphira lowered her mouth right above Tyrel's and opened it slightly. A steady stream of azure blood went from her jaws into Tyrel's mouth.

As this happened, Tyrel thought.

'As much as blood doesn't taste great. Joining the cohort just to drink refreshing water isn't worth it.'

Tyrel gently pats Saphira's side, and she closes her jaws.

"There you go. By the way, all the corpses lured more carapace scavengers. In fact, there are double what there were before."

Tyrel's eyes widened.

"So there are over a thousand of them?"

Saphira replied.

"I'm not sure. But I wouldn't be surprised if there were."

Tyrel shivered and thought.

'If there are that many, the main cast may die. They already had trouble dealing with what they would have originally.'

Tyrel closed his eyes.

'Then again, Sunny's fated attribute is potent. I believe Sunny's Fated attribute will help his cohort out of any fight. No matter how horrifying. All I need to do is hope Cassia does not get visions of me. Or else Saphira and I will have to fly far away.'

Tyrel sighed.

"Saphira. If you see creatures that look like carapace scavengers but they are more menacing. I suggest you don't fight them."

Saphira asked.

"Why?"

Tyrel grimaced.

"I don't know how strong they are. Plus... I feel they serve something much stronger."

Saphira nodded.

"Okay. And did you get any Memories or Echoes?"

Tyrel summoned the runes, and his eyes widened.

"Yes. I have received three Echoes and one memory."

Saphira asked.

"What kind of memory is it?"

Tyrel summoned the runes.

Memory: [Azure Arrow].

Memory Rank: Awakened.

Memory Type: Weapon

Memory Description: [An arrow made fashioned from the armor of a carapace scavenger.]

"I'll summon the Memory."

Tyrel summoned the memory. And a long arrow about three feet long formed in his hands. It was forged from azure steel.

Saphira smiled.

"I'm happy that you got a good arrow. Would you like to show me the Echoes?"

Tyrel nodded.

Three carapace scavenger Echoes materialized before Saphira and Tyrel. Their eyes were empty, and they stood still, motionless.

Saphira smiled.

"I'm glad you acquired these. They can guard you while I'm away hunting. I'm relieved you aren't unprotected, Tyrel."

Tyrel sighed.

"I can fight, too. I'm not good at it, but it's true."

Saphira smiled.

"I know you can. But I don't want you to be hurt."

Tyrel nodded.

"Alright."

Tyrel turned to the Echoes.

"Gaurd us while we sleep."

The Echoes immediately went to the house-sized cavern's entrance and stood guard.

Tyrel smiled and hugged Saphira's side.

"Goodnight, Saphira."

Saphira's tails wrapped around Tyrel and cradled him.

"Goodnight, Tyrel."

Tyrel fell asleep.