I suppose this chapter is quite different from what you all expected would happen next. Laurana and Law will rest for a bit longer because they will need all the energy they can muster in order to overcome the threat they are in. Instead, another trio waits for you to accompany them on their mission.
Enjoy!
Large waves arrived at the shore in a steady stream as they have done for centuries already. The continuous flow is like the eternal drift of time, slow and never-ending, relentless and unchanging no matter how much time passes by.
Despite their size, the towers of water kissed the shore gently and upon contract gave in to the rocky walls surrounding the tiny island, having no intention to harm this forgotten place. The watery spray reflected the sunlight from above, creating small rainbows before they vanished as fast as they had been birthed. With the next wave, they were resurrected and called forth once more before they met their haste end once again. A circle of life, death and rebirth which is not meant to be broken in order to sustain its beauty.
Seagulls nested in the punctured rocks towering above the relentless yet calm ocean, using the security offered by the stony confines to raise their offspring so a new generation may sail through the endless skies one day.
They formed a busy society, parents switching roles between caretaker and provider. Their calls echo across the island, starting with the first rays of the sun and ending when the sun and moon exchange their shift to lighten up the world. Those who stay behind made sure that their restrictive home is clean and neat to prevent any form of nasty infection to spread throughout the entire colony and when that was done they cleaned their progeny. Those who set out hunted in the stretch of waters in the immediate surroundings of the island. They hunt for the countless fish they could eat. The waters are fertile so the creatures of the sea are well-fed, providing enough food so that hunger was not a problem.
Below the city of screeching wings, large walrus-like Zeugles were unbothered by the volume from above. They are content with simply laying in the sand, absorbing the soft warmth emitting from the large orb amidst the heaven. They share not the feral mindset of their kin from the continent. They favoured enjoying the peaceful and easy life this island offered them instead of indulging in bloody warfare among each other and other Zeugles.
Once upon a time gifted with colossal and bulky bodies, they can easily crush many beings without breaking a sweat and if their weight should not be enough they can rely on watery Artes and their large tusks to get rid of any nuisance threatening them. But in this area, there was no need for violence so they used their weaponry only to hunt crabs and lobsters who lived beneath the waves inside an enormous forest of underwater plants.
Deeper inland large, voluminous trees formed an unpassable jungle, connected by countless lianes. Beneath the veil of leaves the climate was hot and wet but animals, Zeugles and plants have adapted to the traits of the isle a long time ago. Gargantuan monkeys jumped from tree to tree, feasting on the many juicy and nutrient fruits growing everywhere, their delighted sounds ringing from every direction.
Atop the only mountain of the island, a long died down volcano, inside a crater even a pair of ancient dragons lived happily. They could not survive on fish or fruits so they needed fresh flesh but they only picked those creatures who had grown old and weary, death already in sight with opened arms.
A sphere of utter tranquillity and peace that has prevailed against all odds.
However, sixteen years ago this repose was broken for the first time in the long history of the small island. Without warning a mighty roar shocked the very foundation of this place of calmness. It originated from the deepest bowels of the island but its power was too overwhelming to contain. The calm sea turned in only a few seconds into a deadly typhoon as a millennium storm was conjured in the sky. Thousands of bolts of lightning twitched across the heavily clouded sky and gargantuan whirlpools formed in the relentless sea. Tornados reached down and connected heaven and earth in a phenomenal spectacle Dahna had not seen up to this moment. The cataclysm lasted for hours and threatened to devour the world until a new roar thundered across the area. Minutes later everything had turned back to normal and only the desolated condition of the island testified that something terrible had happened.
But with no one knowing about the island, the incident went by mostly unnoticed aside from the tsunamis wreaking havoc at the coasts. But today was different because at the horizon the sunlight was reflected by a sliver flash, indicating that something was getting closer. Machines drummed and engines roared as the object came closer and closer.
It was a small ship, decorated excessively with all kinds of ornaments. A symbol denounces on both sides of the highly advanced raft, an emblem that represents one of the five realms of Dahna, the kingdom where the winds howl, Mahag Saar.
And at the small vessel's bow stands the person in charge of the kingdom. A tall woman with orange hair flipping wildly in the breeze, like the raging storm she represents. Her emerald eyes are locked on the island in her view. She has searched for this place quite a while, studying ancient scripture she hadn't bothered to look at before she found the village of Dahnan mages, obtaining wisdom nobody but her could have at the moment.
She observed the environment awaiting her arrival and couldn't help but smirk. She patted the head of her beloved Mesmald, the only one she fully trusted and was, who responded with delighted purrs by his master's caressing. Beast he may be but he has been a better companion than even her own family when she was still living on Lenegis.
Women are not supposed to aim for leadership and instead are meant to give birth to strong sons. That's what has been drilled into her mind ever since she was born and she hated it with every fibre of her being.
She was supposed to be silent and act as an accessory while letting the men do as they pleased, deciding over her fate as they deemed it would suit her best like a cheap game of cards, marrying her off to another household at worst so their household would remain in its supreme position.
Gifted with her strong personality she voiced her loath and was beaten up badly by her older brothers and her father as well for such audacity. As punishment, she was thrown out of the household for several days. Crimes do not exist on the gigantic satellite but it's still dangerous for a small girl like she was back then to venture through the countless plazas and avenues completely alone. She despised her family but never thought they would actually go this far.
In a lonely and dark passageway, she sank to the ground, hugged her legs as close to her body as possible and finally let the tears fall from her emerald-green eyes. She hiccuped as her tears cascaded down her face, the salt inside them like molten silver poured on her bloody bruises. That's when she heard a weak and pitiful whimper from somewhere close by.
She cursed inwardly, fearing somebody would see her in this pathetic state so she wiped the watery fluid dripping from her eyes and nose away, smearing blood, snot and tears all over he face, failing greatly to achieve a presentable state. It was even worse than before. She looked around but found nobody close by.
Then there was again the weak whine, this time accompanied by the rattling of metal against concrete. Her eyes searched for the source and fixated on a trash bin in the darkest corner of the alley. She held her breath as she continued to watch, pondering whether her imagination was playing tricks on her. It did not because the trash container soon shook from side to side again.
There was something inside. She will never admit this aloud but since she was all on her own she was scared as to what could possibly cause this but her curiosity got the better of her in the end. Raising to her feet she took slow steps, one at a time and always prepared to turn on her heels and run as fast as possible in the opposite direction but nothing happened during her approach. The bin only continued to move sideways every few seconds until she stood directly in front of the metallic cylinder.
Her heart rate increased when she place her hand on top of the lid before she lifted it up. She was greeted by a pair of orange eyes starring at her in fright. The small body of the owner shook terrified by her and the young girl berated herself for being frightened. Inside was a small Zeugle, a breed she has never seen before. By the looks of it most likely an experiment deemed as a failure and disposed of as such. Girl and Zeugle stared at each other and somehow the girl saw something inside these orange eyes that reminded her of herself.
Loneliness. It was loneliness which reflected from them, the same she has felt since she was born and still does to this very moment. It felt as if she was looking in her own eyes through a mirror. Without noticing she reached out and started to pat the small hatching's head. At first, it scared away from the touch but soon leaned into the touch, absorbing the much-needed gentleness.
It was on that day that Almeidrea met Mesmald and it was on that day that their bond was formed. Together she, a meagre woman and he, a failed experiment, climbed higher and higher until they reached the top and proved everyone else to be incorrect. They are inseparable and wherever one of them is the other is not far away. That is the relationship they share and treasure and will never cease to exist as long as they are alive.
That's the reason why Mesmald was by her side even on this quest, squeezed on her vessel no meant to carry him. With his bulky body, there was almost no place left on deck, meaning no guards accompanied her on this journey. Not that she needed one anyway since she was more than capable of protecting herself and if needed she could rely on Mesmald's strength as well. Only one single guard was allowed to join her and Mesmald on this mission. Her most prized warrior, the Green Whirlwind of Mahag Saar.
She still remembers the day when she decided to promote him to this position. Back then he had been a regular soldier like so many others, the only trait outstanding was his silent attitude. He barely talked to anyone and only answered when the situation forced him to do so.
On that day her rival in the crown contest, the Lord of Cyslodia Ganabelt Valkyris, visited her palace, accompanied by the White Flash of Cyslodia many considered to be the best soldier in all of Dahna, his strength even rivalling a Lord.
Knowing Ganabelt all too well, especially his love for mind games, it came to no surprise to her when the White Flash drew his blades and charged at her. Before she could do anything though a nameless soldier using a large halberd as a weapon intercepted the warrior and prevented him to get any closer to Almeidrea. She was furious about this, feeling that the man thought she was unable to fight for herself but the soldier broke his famous silence, saying a gnat is unworthy of her attention. With an answer such as this, she could live with and her rage subsided, watching in interest as the duel began.
Much to everyone's surprise, herself and Ganabelt included, the battle lasted and lasted with no side able to overcome the other. Only when the Lords ordered the soldiers to stop did the battle end in a draw. It was astonishing, to say the least. Skills such as his are seldom to be found even among the Renan people so she decided to acknowledge his achievements and granted him the title of the supreme warrior of Mahag Saar.
Even Mesmald tolerated his presence by her side to some extent, something she had never witnessed before and since her loyal companion trusted this man she decided to trust him as well. Not once has he betrayed the trust given to him. Every assignment, no matter how dangerous, was performed perfectly without failure.
So she allowed him to accompany Mesmald and her on this quest. One day she might even share snippets of the truth she had learned. Almeidrea shifted her gaze from Mesmald to the man in question. He steered the ship with precision through the waves, his eyes looking already for a suitable place to dock.
He was clad in his custom made armoury, coloured in black and dark green, his halberd attached to his back covered by a mantle so he could always jump in to protect his lord. He wore a helm adorned with two ornaments that looked like wings on each side. He didn't question when his lord ordered him to follow her but he was still surprised when she let him to her private vessel, Mesmald already waiting for them on board.
They journeyed for weeks across the ocean, travelled from town to town and island to island until they found what he supposed they have been searching for. It must be this isolated island because there was a noticeable spark inside his lord's eyes when she saw the frame in the distance. It was a rare sight to behold and he deemed himself lucky and honoured to be allowed to see this.
On the other hand, he has to admit that he worries greatly about his lord's well-being. Ever since she discovered the home of the Dahnan magicians, Almeidrea has become obsessed with the history of Dahna. Suddenly she began exploring ruins she had called filth before and spent days studying them to the brink of exhaustion. She stopped eating properly and only slept a few hours every now and then.
He can only guess but she must have learned something in this village and it was gnawing at her like an infection, slowly but surely corrupting her body with weakness and it's unbearable for him to watch this. He has admired her since the first time he saw her. Never before did he meet a woman so strong and independent. It was captivating, drew him in like fire does a moth. He knew he could easily burn himself but he didn't mind. As long as he can be by her side he won't complain about anything.
The vessel continued to cut through the sea until the island was in full view. Mahag Saar's Whirlwind steered the vessel around the isle in order to find a suiting location to dock the boat until he found a small promontory. He didn't see anything else so this spot must do. He killed the engines almost entirely and slowed down the pace drastically and let the waves carry them towards their destination. When they were close enough he threw the anchor into the shallow water, securing the ship where it was.
Mesmald was the first one to leave the ship, happy to finally have the necessary place to stretch his limps. Naturally, he could always simply fly off but the landing caused quite a problem if it's only a small boat slightly taller than himself. Almeidrea followed suit, silently happy to have solid ground beneath her feet again. She would have preferred to ride on Mesmald's back but with no clear destination in sight, they were forced to use the means they had done.
Her eyes roamed across the nature spreading in front of her. Rocky cliffs surrounded most of the island with a single mountain towering above everything else. The rest of the island was covered by a seemingly endless thicket of green. Chirps and growls greeted her ears from every direction, showing that there was not the slightest bit of civilisation on this isolated island apart from lowly animals. It would be annoying to search for what she was looking but it couldn't be helped. The evidence she has collected during her research so far pointed at this forgotten isle and she will not rest until she has found what she is looking for.
The clanking of metal pulled her out of her thoughts. Her best soldier had just jumped down from the vessel and took in the scenery with childish curiosity. She was about to open her mouth and order him to stay behind and look after the ship but as if sensing what she was about to do, he shifted his attention to her and calmly looked at her expectingly.
Even though unspoken she heard his desire to accompany her nonetheless and decided to indulge his wishes. He's her best soldier and deserves a bit of better treatment than her other minions. So instead she called Mesmald's name, the beast immediately at her side and she jumped on the black dragon's back. She pointed towards the jungle and the large Zeugle started moving in the pointed direction. The Whirlwind of Mahag Saar followed slightly behind, voluntarily taking the rear as he kept watch for any possible threats even though it was unlikely anything would be daring enough to attack them in the first place with Mesmald's intimidating presence all over the place.
Soon trees blocked the view of the sky and wild nature had embraced the unusual visitors. As expected nothing out of the ordinary happened. They came across a large group of Terrapin Fists but the ape-like Zeugles didn't mind their presence. In fact, they didn't even bother to look at them even though Mesmald growled in warning at them. They were too busy swallowing the large number of fruits dangling inside the trees.
The unusual trio ventured for hours through the endless jungle until they came across a large lake in the middle of the island. It was filled with crystal clear water, countless sea roses in full bloom covered the surface and beneath the calm surface, even more plants grew. Swarms of fish swam through the water in search of food they could digest. A thin layer of fog swirled across the tranquil lake, turning it into a canvas of mystery. Almeidrea jumped down from her pet's back and hurried to the still pond of water. She waded knee-deep into the water, not caring about soaking her clothes and then she laugher wholeheartedly.
Mesmald used the opportunity to quell his thirst while the heavily armoured soldier summarised this must have been what she was looking for even though he didn't understand what was so appealing about a lake filled with ruins from a forgotten civilisation.
Large pillars of stone peeked out every now and then and close to a cliff some of them were organised in a similar fashion, forming two lines and they looked almost like decorations for an entrance laying between them. But there was only a large waterfall cascading down, its spray was probably the reason for the fog.
The Lord of Mahag Saar saw this as well and lifted herself up with her Astral Artes, flying towards what she deemed to be the entrance to the ruins sleeping inside this lake. She landed on top of one of the stone columns and allowed her view to freely roam across the area. She wouldn't admit this aloud but she finds this place absolutely stunning and beautiful. Maybe she will return to this place when she needs a bit of time for herself. They searched for weeks for this place but now that she knew where it was it would be child's play to come here whenever she wanted to.
But this will have to wait for the moment. She couldn't see anything helpful from her bird's view so she pondered what she should do. She eyed the waterfall and decided to give it a try. She pointed her staff at the falling water and conjured a small ball of wind and shot. She didn't expect much so she was almost dumbfounded when her wind parted the water and revealed what looked like an entrance behind the watery wall.
"What a cliché." she mumbled to herself as she shook her head from side to side by this silly truth, glad that nobody could hear her. She tightened her lips and released a sharp whistle and Mesmald flipped his wings once and catapulted himself in the air, obeying her command.
Meanwhile, Mahag Saar's best soldier was dumbstruck as well by the well known 'cave behind the waterfall'. Honestly, if he hadn't seen it with his own eyes he wouldn't have believed it, dismissing it as the wild imaginations of a snot-nosed brat. But apparently, it actually does happen in reality. His lord most likely thought so as well and only tried it for her own amusement, not expecting any results.
Hearing her whistle and Mesmald's sudden leap into the air indicated that his lord desired to see what lays behind the protective barrier of water so he drew his halberd and jumped, using the many ruins lingering in the lake as a foothold. When he was close enough he swung his silver gleaming weapon in a horizontal slash and created a scythe of pure wind.
Almeidrea had already jumped back on Mesmald's back and waited for her best soldier to clear the path. That's something she likes about him aside from his silent attitude. She doesn't need to give always an order to get him to do her bidding. He can think for himself and knows what must be done in order to fulfil her wishes. A perk of his she discovered only after she had already promoted him and reassured her, that she did the correct choice after all.
His blade riding atop the wind easily cut the waterfall apart, even sliced the wet rocks open. It was only a window of a few seconds before the entry would be covered up again but it was more than enough time for the two Renans and the Zeugle. All of them arrived at the gate leading to their destination.
"Mesmald!" Almeidrea called out and her dragon obeyed. His throat brightened up and he spits out a ball of relentless fire which she caught with her wind, feeding it with oxygen and thus keeping it alive so they would have a never-ending torch hovering above them, showing what lays in front of them.
They were at the top of a long staircase, in fact so long that neither of them could see the end, not even Mesmald with his heightened animal senses. Almeidrea caressed her companion's head and coaxed him to move down, following the path into the deepest part of the island. This time Almeidrea's sword and shield did not linger a good distance behind but were right next to them so he could either dart forward or backwards to intercept any foul creature or other threat daring enough to bare its teeth at his lord.
The steps leading deeper and deeper into the earth dragged on for a long time. Sometimes they ended in even platforms but the next set was already waiting for them, only directing them in another direction. In all honesty, their descent was uneventful. No surprises, no traps and no enemies at all as all of them had expected. Apparently, the constructors of these ruins didn't plan for any visitors, assuming the isolation of the island was enough to keep them away.
After a journey that felt like hours, they finally arrived at the bottom only to see that they were still far away from whatever is resting in this most ancient of places. Instead of more steps they were welcomed by countless chambers connected to each other, turning this section of the ruins into a maze eagerly waiting and ready to swallow and never release them.
Almeidrea grew restless by this waste of time but there was little choice in this matter. Being as deep down as they were, they couldn't risk breaching through walls. The possibility of being buried underneath billions of tons of rocks and earth was too high for any drastic measures. She wanted to move onward but Mesmald didn't move an inch from where he stood. At first, Almeidrea wanted to fuss but before she could voice her displeasure about his unmoving state, she saw that he has narrowed his eyes, gazing into the darkness. She followed his stare but saw nothing in the veil of complete black.
However, she has learned to rely on his animal senses and instincts in these kinda situations. So she smirked, relieved that this wouldn't keep being as boring as it has been thus far. She lifted their torch higher and compromised her wind, fuelling the fire and turning it brighter, almost getting rid of all the surrounding darkness.
The sculptured walls supporting the entire complex could finally be seen, their engravings telling a story of old. The floor was covered by ankle-deep water, unknown plants growing from its soil. It was a continuation from the lake outside only on a smaller scale and normally well hidden from curious eyes. Also, the stronger light source revealed why Mesmald was reluctant about moving any further.
From the ceiling above them dangled an innumerable amount of slimy slug-like Zeugles. They gurgled and screeched, roughly awoken by the fire orb. They loosed their hold and began to fall down at the intruders and surrounded them with their sheer number. Greyish slime covered their bodies but they were still able to see their prey with their slippery eyes. Every other woman and many men as well would have turned into screaming hypocrites by the grotesque sight these creatures offered but Almeidrea could only huff in annoyance. She had expected something more entertaining and not a bunch of slugs crawling across the floor.
As if reading her mind, Mesmald inhaled deeply and released a torrent of raging fire at the foul molluscs blocking their path, making short work of the nuisance. Those behind him and at his sides fell victim to a wildly whirling halberd shredding each of them. Sickly, green blood bubbled from their corpses and the odour of their innards filled the air. For anyone with weak nerves, this would be a nightmare but for the trio of death, this was like a walk through the park. Nothing to worry about at all.
When the last slug was good and dead Mesmald was content with walking further, taking on from when they were interrupted. As they ventured through the empty halls they had to deal with similar attacks once in a while but other than that there was nothing out of the ordinary. The only aspect disturbing how easy everything has been so far. Finding this place was seriously a greater challenge but then again, facing off against a Renan Lord, her loyal pet and her mightiest warrior the odds of winning are slim, almost non-existent.
Room after room, chamber after chamber but they found nothing but emptiness. Had someone already plundered this place a long time ago before they set foot on this island? They even came across their earlier massacres, indicating that they were effectively lost. But instead of losing her mind, the queen of Mahag Saar remained absolutely calm. Fright is something preserved for the weak and not for the strong. She raised her hand and signalled both Mesmald and Whirlwind to stop in their tracks.
She took a deep breath and closed her eyes and concentrated on her Astral Energy. She morphed it into soft whirls of wind and spread them across the area. Wherever they touched the walls, Almeidrea drew a line in her mind, slowly forming a map of the place inside her head. As she had figured since they arrived at the end of the staircase this place was a large maze consisting of countless square-like rooms linked to each other but it proved ineffective against her technique.
Soon the map was completed and her wind had found what she was looking for. A secret passage from where the ruins continued. She opened her eyes and pointed at the direction they needed to go from here on. Without questioning her beast and soldier trotted down the path she had shown and even when they came to halt in front of a wall they didn't even think for a second Almeidrea was in the wrong. Said woman jumped down from Mesmald's back once again and observed the barrier of stone. The engravings were the same all walls have been covered by but her wind still told her that behind this wall was a path leading further into the ruins.
She used her staff and hit the stone with firm motions and she walked alongside the wall. Each hit caused an echo to vibrate through the air until it changed when she hit a certain spot at the wall. It turned hollow and Almeidrea smirked.
'So that's how it is,' she mused. The Renan Lord went on with her assault, her soldier already walking to the spot where the hollow sound first emitted from and when the noises changed again did Almeidrea stop. The distance between the two Renans was round about the same size the other gates have been so far, further indicating that she must be right about her hunch and it was about time to show how handy it can be having a dragon like Mesmald at your side.
"Mesmald!" The Zeugle raised his right mauler and let it fall against the wall which in response gave in like paper to fire. A loud crash resonated through the ruins accompanied by a large screen of dirt and dust. The winged Zeugle used his gift and flapped once and cleared the sight, showing that his master has been right. Where once was a wall was now a path leading them onwards.
From there on the interior of the ruins drastically changed. No longer were the walls crafted but instead were now rough and natural. Stalagmites grew from the ceiling and the ground, interrupted from blueish shining crystal, offering enough light so that Almeidrea could dismiss her flying torch.
They went further and further and more and more crystal did they discover. They were getting closer to something. That much was apparent. In the far distance, the small passage they were currently in opened, indicating that there would be a wide space. When they arrived at the end the out worldly trio was greeted by the sight of an epitome of the beauty Dahna offers to those searching for it. An underground lagoon enlightened by countless crystals lay before them. It was utterly stunning to find such a place in a location like this but nature ventures strange paths once in a while.
Inside the untainted pools of purified water, many different kinds of sea anemones and corals grew from the walls submerged in water. Unidentified fishes sought comfort in the welcoming environment. Due to the crystals emitting their soft light the lagoon looked like the embodiment of a scene only found in a novel telling a story of mystic beauty.
"Marvellous," Almeidrea lowly mumbled, too overwhelmed by the gracious sight. She may be the ruthless queen of Mahag Saar but deep down even she has a heart of gold, secured and locked away behind countless steel doors but this magical view was stronger than the barriers she had constructed all on her own. The marvel showed on her face and went not unnoticed by the Green Whirlwind of Mahag Saar. He engraved the picture inside his memory.
Even Mesmald seemed to be astonished by this development and looked around full of curiosity as they walked through the shallow waters. But unlike his human companions, his sharp senses suddenly rang all alarm bells. Fishes, that have just been busy with their daily activities were now nowhere to be seen. They had fled the scene because they sensed the incoming danger. Mesmald looked at the pool on his right side and observed it with mistrust gleaming in his eyes.
Suddenly a large shadow dashed forward and he instinctively jumped out of the way just in time before water splashed everywhere. Almeidrea, lost in her thoughts, yelped by the rash movement. She wanted to curse but found her mouth shut when her right eardrum busted, blood oozing out of her ear.
Less than one metre away from her, gargantuan jaws filled with countless sharp teeth snapped shut, the resulting pressure wave from the sheer force the cause for her busted ear. If Mesmald had even dodged a second later those steel presses would have crushed her instantly. Her Astral Artes reign supreme above all others but she still has a human body, one that could not withstand such strength.
Mesmald slithered across the slippery floor before he dug his limps into the ground and roared. It was answered by another roar, equal in volume in strength. A grotesque creature had emerged from the undersea tunnel.
Its mouth was long, water and saliva intermixed and formed a disgusting slime dripping from its huge mouth. Greyish skin covered the bulky muscular body. Two sturdy arms, equipped by claws as large as Mesmald's and fins as well, supported the upper body while the hind body was lean and adored by fins and ended with a long tail, also equipped with a large vertical fin, which the beast must have used to catapult itself out of the water. Another pair of fins sprouted from its skull and ran along its back. They had a spiky, sail-like appearance. Its yellow eyes were fixated on them, the irises slits of pure wrath. This was a beast able to hunt on land and in the ocean as well and it meant trouble. The morbid mixture of crocodile and fish rivalled Mesmald's size and these ruins must be its natural habitat and since they were underground Mesmald couldn't even fly properly in this narrow space.
And then there was something else Almeidrea realised immediately. This is not a Zeugle. It can't be. Renans are taught about all races which have been sired but this thing has never been mentioned. Ans since Zeugles are made from creatures living on Dahna this foul beast must be one of those. A feral predator of the seas that was not categorised up to this moment and terrorised the ocean without anyone noticing. This means its abilities and attack patterns are completely unknown as well.
Almeidrea lifted herself with wind and would let Mesmald handle this thing since its main interest was on her Zeugle companion anyway. Probably thought of him as its next meal but it would soon learn who is the true predator between the two of them. She signalled her armoured soldier to keep his distance and observe for the moment. She would do the same.
Mesmald and the unnamed creature already circled each other, growling and screeching and thirsty for blood. Like before it was the fish-like crocodile that attacked first. It darted forward and snapped after Mesmald but he again jumped out of the way and struck with his right arm, his talons cutting open the other beat's flesh which in response screeched in pain.
Blood drenched the wet rocks at the battleground as the beast shook its head from side to side but the wound was not fatal, annoying at least. It roared again and charged once more at Mesmald. The space might be narrow but it was still vast enough for him to use his wings in means of a high leap. The black dragon stretched his wings and did so but the other beast was fast to react and dug its front legs into the ground which cracked open by the sudden assault.
Using all muscles its body possessed it lifted its hind body and swung it around in a circular motion, slightly angled upwards and hit the mark. Its tail turned into a huge iron whip and hit Mesmald in the face. He fell from the air and crashed against stones that became dust by his weight and resistant scales. The Zeugle roared in rage as he stood up and shook the strikeoff like it was nothing to him but the blood dripping from the right sight of his head where he has been struck showed it was more like a showoff on his part. The beasts screamed and charged against each other in a feral storm of teeth and talons, afflicting bloody damage to each other.
Almeidrea's concern about this development rose fast. Normally, Mesmald made short work of every other creature standing in his way, even the large golem-like and mantis-like Zeugles stood not a chance against him. It was like sheep facing off against a bear. The winner was obvious.
So seeing this battle of monsters drag on and on was disturbing because the undersea creature must be equal in strength to Mesmald. The Whirlwind must have thought the same because he had already drawn his long weapon and prepared himself to intervene any moment now.
The sudden echo of thunder and Mesmald's agonized screech following afterwards pulled Almeidrea's attention back to the fight. Electricity emitted from the fins of Mesmald's opponent and since everything was drenching wet it spread across the floor and electrocuted Mesmald in the process and paralysed her beloved pet.
Unable to defend himself in this situation the other beast charged again and successfully closed its jaws around Mesmald's neck. His scales prevented the worst but the teeth still sank into his flesh making him scream in pain. Then the beast started to move backwards and pulled the dragon along.
Almeidrea understood that it intended to drag Mesmald into one of the many ponds leading underwater in order to drown Mesmald to death. Unlike the foul creature, Mesmald was unable to breathe underwater. Her eyes shone brightly as she cast a mighty Astra Arte, creating a large ball of raging, razor-sharp torrents of wind in order to prevent this action. She released it and the wind ripped the amphibians back open, fountains of blood spurting everywhere.
It screamed in pain and released Mesmald by this action before it turned its attention at her. Feral, yellow eyes stared at her but Almeidrea only sneered at the beast's rage. Her arrogance almost cost her life. She barely dodged the high-pressure stream of water the beast shot at her and cut through the rocks behind her, like a hot knife cuts through butter.
It was about to attack again but scythes of wind rained down on it as Mahag Saar's best soldier swung his halberd in a furious storm. The damage was lesser than what Almeidrea did but the beast screamed in agony nonetheless. It was about to turn his attention to the prominently armoured soldier but large talons ripped into the sensitive inner side of its mouth and pulled its lower jaw and upper jaw wide open.
Mesmald had recovered from the electric shock and was thirsty to finally get the kill. He flapped his wings and lifted his whole body in the air, torrents of wind racing through the lagoon while the other beast flailed helplessly around by the sudden dip into unknown territory. It clawed at Mesmald's chest but the dragon ignored the pain as he inhaled deeply before he released scorching hot flames and shot them into the wide-opened snout of the watery creature.
The amphibians insides were burned and roasted by Mesmald's cruel attack before the dragon released his grip. The fried body fell on the ground, blood and water splashing wildly around. Mesmald landed on top of the corpse, stretched his wings as wide as possible and roared in victory, declaring that he is the mightiest of all.
When his proud scream became nothing but an echo the black dragon almost collapsed from the exhaustion he felt. His win came at great costs, especially his neck and chest were in horrible shape. An unhealthy amount of blood flooded out of them and drenched the seafloor at his feet in crimson red.
Almeidrea hurried to his side and began to cast a strong Healing Arte while muttering words of encouragement to her beloved dragon, in order to stop the bleeding as fast as possible but since this form of Arte was created to heal humans and not Zeugles the effects were weak. The size of Mesmald's wounds wasn't helping either. Time was of the essence but unfortunately, Dahna is a gruesome place to live – even for Renan Lords.
A loud splash vibrated through the lagoon followed by a loud, wet thud. It was another one of these monsters and this one was even larger than the one from before, towering even over Mesmald.
With Mesmald out of order for the moment and Almeidrea mostly occupied in patching him up only the Green Whirlwind of Mahag Saar was the only one left able to intercept the monster. But instead, he re-attached his weapon back on his back and moved towards the nearby high ground overlooking the whole area.
Behind him, the beast roared in feral wrath but in the next moment winds howled and then flesh and bones were shredded, blood and innards creating morbid pictures on the surrounding walls. Not without reason does Mesmald obey the orders of the Lord of Mahag Saar without question and hesitation.
Arriving at the highest spot he stood guard while Almeidrea turned back to heal her Zeugle companion who had begun to devour his kill in ravenous hunger. Apparently, the loss of two of the sea devils was enough to scare the rest of them away so Mesmald's healing went on without further incident. It took several hours until he was as good as new but neither Renan minded the pause of events. Their endurance could last for days if needed.
When Almeidrea had finished the task at hand she returned to her favourite spot on top of Mesmald's warm back and the trio continued on the new path. The lagoon dragged on for only a short amount of time until new signs of the builders came into site. A small staircase leads to large, heavy-looking doors. They looked significantly different from the ruins from earlier and Almeidrea hoped this was the place the hints she had collected pointed at.
Not wanting to strain Mesmald any further than necessary she left the task in her trusted knight. Placing his plated hands on the gates he pushed with all his strength and pushed the bulky doors slowly open. From behind the gates, sudden ocean-blue flashes blazed up and Almeidrea immediately knew this was the correct space. A long corridor, coloured in the hues of the sea greeted them and in the far distance ended in a circular chamber. Even from far away, she could already make out the canvas.
Mesmald sensed his master's joy and set into motion. The corridor was adored by countless braziers on each side, burning with blue flames made from ethereal Astral Energy. The walls were generously covered in runes and scriptures, remains of a language nobody used these days anymore except for Almeidrea who obtained the knowledge to decipher the ancient way of communication in the mage village.
Arriving at the final chamber of the ruins shimmering in all kinds of blue she jumped of Mesmald's back and hurried to the large canvas. Not only did she learn how to read the runes but she also learned the bitter truth. When she flipped through the paragraphs of the ancient book she thought this was simply some fiction from someone's mind but the story told was too outrageous to be meagre imagination.
Renans and Dahnans are one and the same civilisation only parted by unlucky events and most likely someone's meddling. She questioned everything she has been taught up to this one moment and suddenly so many things didn't make any sense anymore. Just why hadn't these aspects appeared strange beforehand? She almost lost her sanity by the bitter truth reality threw at her but in the end, only fuelled her conviction to make whoever is responsible for this, suffer. Everything leads towards Rena, her supposed home planet but she doubts at this point that that is the truth. Probably only another fraud by the shadow pulling the threads in the background.
She considered telling the other lords about her discovery but who would believe her? What irony! She annihilated a century-old community and as punishment was burdened with their knowledge that could destroy the foundation of the world everyone knew.
But she accepted this weight on her shoulders. She's used to biting her way through tough situations. She has done so back then when she was still an ignorant child and she will do so now as well. With Mesmald by her side she's sure she will succeed in the end and maybe one day she can entrust her most prized warrior with this knowledge as well.
But first things first. In order for her plan to work she needs to win the current contest for the crown before she travels towards Rena. And in order to be prepared for every situation she can think of she requires one thing. Overwhelming power.
The ambitious woman studies the lines forming the canvas, the body they build in their entirety. A sea serpent or rather a dragon who looks like a sea serpent, a dragon who rules over the seas with an iron-tight grip. Almeidrea smirks and lets her eyes wander below the picture, reading the hieroglyphs out aloud.
"When Rena and Dahna intertwine once again, the Leviathan of the vast oceans and everlasting princess of the sea serpents shall be released from her binds and awaken from her deep slumber. She will descent upon this world, resting inside a mortal shell until the other five awaken as well. Together they will bring but the end of this realm."
A terrifying omen but it is what she has been searching for. Now she only needs to solve this riddle and obtain control over the foretold being mentioned in the short text. The right side of the historic chamber houses a narrow path. The wall has been broken open by an unknown force since the rocks bordering the unnatural path are blank and show no signs of any handiwork. Almeidrea follows the ominous corridor, pulled forward further and further by the blueish shine at the end.
When the walls widen again she finds herself inside a gigantic underground cave or rather in a gigantic underground lake. She stands on top of a small ledge and she can hardly believe the sight offered to her. Enormous shards of crystal peak through the clear water. They cover the ceiling and the surrounding walls as well but what draws her attention is the majestic form of the godlike being, soundly asleep beneath the soft waves. Almeidrea laughs wholeheartedly in delight when she understands the magnitude of what she has just found.
It's One of The Six!
Luo Undine!
The story has barely begun and One of The Six already enters the scene. Surprised? I hope you are ;) And then there is the omen at the end of the chapter as well. I hope your brains are already smoking from trying to connect all the hints I leave behind for you guys 😁
I had so much fun writing this chapter! Originally, it was supposed to be not more than one paragraph briefly showing what Almeidrea is up to but truly, it was a blast for me and I hope you liked reading it just as much as I liked writing it. It was my first attempt at writing anything related to dungeon exploring. I wonder how it turned out. Don't be shy about sharing your opinion about it with me. I'm open to everything you have to say ❤️
If you wonder about the monster they fought in the lagoon check out the "Sahagin" from Final Fantasy 15. It's loosely based on these guys ^^
It has been fun exploring Almeidrea's character and giving her a background story. Among the lords, I find her quite unique not only because she's the only woman but also because of her relationship with Mesmald. She strongly reminds me of Rinwell and I personally view her as an adult version of Rinwell gone wrong and I can't wait to play around with their similarities and dive deeper into this aspect plot-wise.
Also, a new character enters the field. I found it strange in the game when the Lords aside from Dohalim were basically always on their own with no form of special forces serving directly under them. That's why I introduced not only the White Flash of Cyslodia (I hope you still remember him 😅) but also the Green Whirlwind of Mahag Saar. I have to admit I'm not completely sure how far I will dive into their characters but that's something to worry about in the future.
I thank all of you for your support. It makes me really happy and never be afraid of sharing your opinions and thoughts with me. Comments and Kudos are the greatest joy you can give me as an author, especially since I'm diving into a story introducing new characters 😊
Even brief and short comments will cast a wide smile on my face so don't be shy about sharing even those with me :D