With her newly-acquired physical form, the Royal Mermaid hovered ethereally in the air, her argent locks undulating like a luminous cascade in the gentle breeze. The iridescent scales adorning her form refracted the dazzling sunlight, casting a mesmerizing glow upon her majestic visage.
Her feral allure proved intoxicating, leaving Jax's throat constricting in a reflexive swallow.
But something didn't click right. A jarring dissonance nagged at Jax's perception. He scrutinized her further, and his instincts proved correct. His mind hadn't deceived him.
This mermaid now, was way smaller than she used to be. She was now a petite, diminutive creature, barely a foot in height.
Jax's lips twisted into a bitter smirk. Had he unknowingly committed a grave error in transforming her?
"You're...?" The tiny mermaid's voice trailed off, her expression a mixture of confusion and curiosity, echoed by the silent question marks hovering above her head.
Jax managed a strained smile, awkwardly scratching the back of his head. Judging by her blank expression, it seemed this little girl had no recollection of their earlier encounter. She didn't recognize him, nor the fact that they'd fought to the death recently.
Maybe it was because she was just a reward granted by the Scroll? Maybe she was just a mere copy who was devoid of memories? If that was the case, that would explain her complete lack of recollection about their past clash.
If that's how it was, Jax was good with that. He nodded in satisfaction. No need to bother smoothing things over with this tiny thing if she was clueless about their past.
The rage she'd felt back then was not a laughing matter.
Meanwhile, contrary to Jax's assumption, the diminutive mermaid scrutinized him with growing intensity, her bewilderment gradually yielding to a dawning epiphany as disparate threads of memory began coalescing.
Right!
She remembered now.
This lowly human... How could she forget him momentarily?!
"Despicable human..." A cold, menacing voice escaped her lips, her words steeped in malice. A dark aura rolled off her as her eyes narrowed, radiating lethal intent.
Her singular desire was to annihilate the insolent human before her.
Jax's gut twisted in panic for a split second. To think that she actually remembered. Shit, does that mean she's the real deal, not some clone?
His initial thought was to flee, but something held him back. His gut was sending a different signal, telling him he was good. No need to freak out.
Jax trusted his hunch more than logic. That said, he went with his gut, like he always did. That was how he survived a lot of dangers, after all, especially previously in the Forbidden Land.
And right now, standing before the furious mermaid, Jax had a vibe he could crush her rage with nothing but his mind.
With that in mind, Jax raised his hand, his expression revealed a rare coldness. His lips parted, a voice colder than the other party escaped from his lips, ''Kneel down.''
Thud!
Almost immediately, the mermaid crashed to the ground with a brutal thud, as if yanked down by an unseen force. Jax's casual command had hit her like a ton of bricks.
The tiny mermaid was powerless, pinned down by Jax's overwhelming command. She couldn't lift a finger, nor could she even muster a scream.
The mermaid's forced kneeling triggered a cold smile on Jax's lips. It seemed his apprehensions had been for naught. This little creature posed no threat at all.
"Look at this ungrateful little mermaid, trying to act high and mighty," Jax sneered, his tone dripping with mockery. "I even spared your pathetic life so you could enjoy the privilege of serving me. And yet you wanted to bite the hand that feeds."
''I must say, you sure have guts.''
"You..." The mermaid seethed, teeth glaring, fists clenched so tight her nails drew blood. She struggled to break free, yet she remained helplessly pinned down.
The command issued by the other party was definitely not a fluke, a harsh reminder that she was reduced to nothing but a mere slave.
"Damn it!" She cried inwardly, surrendering to the inevitable as she stopped struggling. Tears welled up, spilling down her cheeks as defeat set in.
Jax exhaled, releasing the pressure. With the mermaid not resisting, he withdrew his force, leaving her to collapse in a defeated heap.
By the looks of it, although he had her wild character under control, it was still a harsh fact that her heart wasn't his. He might be able to control her body, but her will and loyalty were still a far reach.
Just what on earth should he do to make her submit to him completely?
''What's your name?'' Jax suddenly asked, eyes narrowing as he sized her up. He might as well start taming her by knowing her and her behavior first.
The mermaid didn't want to answer, her defiant gaze meeting Jax's. However, her lips betrayed her as she replied subconsciously, ''Nerissa. My name is Nerissa Sirena.''
After answering, Nerissa realized her action right away. Her eyes widened as she slapped a hand over her lips, horror etched on her face. She hadn't meant to reveal her name. She'd meant to defy him, not spill her secrets. The words had slipped out unbidden, leaving her vulnerable, confused, and also, terrified.
"What have you done to me?! What kind of sorcery have you put on me?!" Nerissa's voice trembled with accusations as she snarled. Her eyes blazing with a mix of fear and outrage.
Jax, on the other hand, saw that Nerissa couldn't defy him at all with her action. He noticed her unwillingness to reply, but she still answered without knowing.
Jax's eyes gleamed with newfound insight. This little mermaid named Nerissa was bound to his will, whether she knew it or not.
If he told her to move, she would. If he asked her to speak, she would speak. How conveniently good. It seemed like one of his problems had just found its solution.
So, without caring about her sudden furious response, Jax's eyes crinkled at the corners as he smiled, "Nerissa? What a nice name." He laughed softly, a warm, genuine sound, "My name is Jax. Your new Master. But you can call me by name, I don't care at all."
''Bastard!'' Nerissa spat back, the insult dripping with disdain.
"What?" Jax's eyebrows shot up in surprise as he uttered. The single word tinged with incredulity. He had already let go of the superiority aspect between them, but this girl dared to...
"I said, I'll call you stupid bastard!" Nerissa snapped, her voice seethed with intensified fury.
Jax's eyebrows also twitched more furiously as he strained to reveal a smile. His skin flushed with restrained energy, veins visibly throbbing with the urge to teach this feisty girl a lesson.
However, a cruel smile twisted Jax's lips as he acknowledged the irony. The very desire to break her spirit was matched only by his need to earn her willing surrender. He knew all too well that forcing her would only breed resentment, not submission.
How annoyingly troublesome. Jax's expression turned pensive, a hint of exasperation creeping into his thoughts.
"Looks like I've got a long game ahead of me," He muttered to himself, resigned to the challenge.
But now that Jax thought about it, King must be suffering as well lately the same way as he did right now. Jax knew that King was also patiently holding back his urge to harm him. It was just that King couldn't put his thoughts into action since he still needed something from him.
''Haha, how painfully annoying. I think, I'm suffering my karma.'' A dry, mirthless chuckle escaped Jax's lips as he muttered. With a dismissive turn, he distanced himself from Nerissa.
Then his tone swung from casual to carefree as he tossed over his shoulder, "Alright, see you later, Nerissa. You can loiter around for as long as you want." He turned to leave, but then added with a dark undertone, "Ah right, I must warn you before I leave as a gesture of our friendship. You should not stroll around for too long or too far away from me."
A charged silence hung in the air before he added, "A lot of humans, more scary than I am, are all over the place here. I suggest you'd better be careful, or else... you'll regret straying too far away from me."
''I bet you already know. But this is not your Forbidden Land.''
''...'' Nerissa's visage clouded, her eyes dimming with despair as the stark reality dawned. She initially thought that she'd finally found a way out. But by the looks of it now, it turned out that she was just dreaming.