Chapter 33, Path of the Lake Serpent part I
Headmaster Rueben uttered a curious moan as he stroked his long thick beard. Having seen the events transpire over the screen of the tablet, he was fascinated by the actions of his students. Seeing them submit to the Alpha Ligar and show obedience to the mighty beast of the valley. Such a thing he hadn't seen performed by any of the students since Akara herself. For until this very moment, only she had been so bold as to bow before the Alpha Ligar and be granted safe passage by him and his back.
Off to the side, Qrow was in disbelief. While relieved at seeing Pyrrha and the other kids take their leave into the forest. Seeing the Ligar's go from being so hostile, to seemingly allowing Pyrrha and her friends to leave. None of the other Ligars appear to go after them.
"What's going on?" Qrow asked, curiously.
"Why aren't they attacking?"
"In all my years, I thought I would never again see someone show an Alpha Ligar such obedience." The Headmaster proclaimed.
Qrow glanced at the Headmaster, who continued to peer down at the screen, seeming more intrigued by what had happened.
"What?" Qrow asked, curiously
"Never has a student other than Akara ever shown such wisdom as she has." The Headmaster persisted upon his claim.
"Or have been so bold as to lay down their weapons in front of an alpha Ligar. Pyrrha never ceases to amaze me."
Qrow squinted his eyes at the headmaster. He then cocked his head, glancing back down over the screen of the tablet. While Pyrrha seemed quite wise for her age, even she didn't appear at first. Like the others, she seemed to be fighting along with the others at first. It wasn't until they came faced with the Alpha itself that she decided to show any such obedience to the Alpha Ligar.
"Yeah...me too." he said.
"I'm more surprised the others went along with it."
"Yes, it seems she has been given the trust of her peers." The Headmaster insisted to him.
The display of trust by the other five students with her was certainly an unexpected surprise. A clear act of Teamwork on their part. As it seemed, it appeared as if their fates appeared to intertwine.
"It would seem the Fates have revealed our first Team of this year."
"First team?" Qrow said, glancing up to him, curiously.
"But there's five of them."
Headmaster nodded his head in agreement. While untraditional for a team to consist of five members, it was not something that hadn't been in the past. Though it was certainly a rare occurrence. And it seemed the Prodigy herself would be given a party of five, who would no doubt follow her on her journey. Such a quest such as the one she would face would no doubt require more than a party of four.
"Yes, that is certainly unexpected," The Headmaster proclaimed.
"But a five Team party is not something that hasn't been done before. It is the act of fate. And for Akara's Prodigy herself, I expected no less. Especially with the Team Trial at hand."
Pyrrha and her friends emerged from the forest, now far from the Ligar's territory. They came over the top of a grassy hill, where they gazed out over the valley ahead.
"There it is!" Auron said, pointing ahead.
Pyrrha and Blake came up over the top of the hill, where they peered ahead toward the North. It was there they saw the passage in the distance, surrounded by a lake of water. Much too large for them to ever go around.
"It's not far," He said, turning back to them.
"If we hurry, we can make it to the portal before Nightfall."
Pyrrha and Blake came up over the hilltop. Only for Blake to then stumble and almost fall, uttering a groan of pain from her leg. Pyrrha glanced down at her.
"Blake!" she exclaimed, lifting her back onto her feet.
"I'm alright... I'm alright." she insisted to her.
Pyrrha glanced down at Blake's Leg, seeming unconvinced by Blake's insistence. The sight of her leg alone proved that her worry was indeed founded. The claw mark over her leg continued to seep with blood, staining her boots and pant leg.
"No, you're not," Pyrrha proclaimed to her.
"We can't keep going on like this."
Auron, Hanako and Blake glanced down at Blake's leg. It did indeed appear much worse than before. The three claw marks over her leg were weeping with blood, which stained her pant's leg.
"Yeah, it's not looking good." Keith insisted to her.
"She's right, we should let her rest." Hanako insisted.
Auron nodded his head in agreement, placing his hand over his sides.
"Alright, let's take a breather," He said, turning to them.
"I'll have a look at her wound, see what we can do."
Pyrrha nodded her head to them, smiling. She then turned and carried Blake over to a nearby log, where she placed her down, carefully. Blake sat down, leaning back against the log. She then hissed, feeling the pain of her leg.
"You okay?" Pyrrha asked, curiously.
Blake glanced up to her, nodding her head.
"Yeah, I'm fine." she insisted to her.
Auron came up to them, where he narrowed down next to Blake.
"Let me have a look at it." he said.
He then proceeded to slip off her boot, hearing a hissing as she tried to bear the pain of the claw marks over her leg. He examined the claw marks. While not deep, they would definitely need to be cleaned and bandaged. Though they didn't possess the means of first air. Which meant that they would need to improvise.
"How is it?" Pyrrha asked, curiously.
"Is it bad?"
Auron shook his head.
"No, but it still needs to be treated," Auron insisted to them.
"Unfortunately, we don't possess the means to."
Pyrrha frowned, nervously.
"So what do we do?" she asked, curiously.
"We'll have to improvise." Auron proclaimed.
Auron then turned and gazed at the forest below the hill.
"Keith?" Auron insisted to him.
Keith nodded his head.
"On it!" He proclaimed before racing down the hill.
Auron's gaze then shifted back down to the Claw marks. Reaching down to his side, he then pulled out a small drinking flask from his side, along with a small cloth.
"Here, this might sting a bit." he said, wetting the cloth with water from his flask.
"Try to hold still."
Auron then placed the wet cloth over her wound, causing her to wince at the pain. He proceeded to dab the rag over the claw mark, wiping away the blood that seeped from the wounds.
"Pyrrha, try to put pressure over the wound." Auron insisted to her.
Pyrrha nodded her head
"Right." she said, placing her hand over the rag.
It was right at that moment that Keith came running up the hills, carrying a whole bunch of oval shaped leaves in his arms.
"Hey, I'm back!" Keith said, out of breath.
"Got the leaves you need."
Auron looked back at Keith before glancing down at the leaves he was holding. The leaves he was holding did indeed mate the description of the ones he was referring to. He then nodded, taking several of the leaves. He then turned back to Pyrrha and Blake.
"What are those leaves you have?" Pyrrha asked, curiously.
"They're called Upatia leaves," Auron proclaimed to her.
"They possess some healing matters that can treat any injury and sickness. Right now it's an alternative to bandages."
Taking the several pieces of leaves, he then proceeded tor wrap them around Blake's leg.
"Now we just need something to wrap over it to keep it in place." He said.
Hanako came up to them, taking out something from her side." He proclaimed to them.
"Here, use this." She said, handing him a long pink ribbon.
Auron glanced back down at the ribbon. He then nodded his head. It seemed long enough and it would be able to hold the leaves in place.
"That'll work," he said.
He then took the ribbon which he then wrapped it around the leaves before tying it into a knot.
"That should do the trick." Auron said with a nod of his head.
Blake glanced down at her bandaged leg.
"How does it feel?" Pyrrha asked, curiously.
"It feels alright, considering." she said, glancing up to her.
She then turned to Auron, Blake and Hanako. She then gestured a nod to them.
"Thanks." she said, appreciating their help.
Auron nodded his head to her.
"No problem." He said.
"We're happy to help." Hanako insisted upon his claim.
"Yeah, no teammate left behind." Keith proclaimed, giving her a thumbs up.
Pyrrha reached up her hand and placed it over Blake's shoulder, to which she turned to look at her. Pyrrha smiled at her, gesturing a nod to her. As if to reassure her that she was indeed a member of their team. Blake narrowed her eyes. Once more, she felt at odds with herself. Once more everything she had come to believe about humans have all been challenged.
Not just Pyrrha but these three other humans treated her so fairly and as if she was part of the team. As if everything she had come to know about humans was all a lie.
Keith groaned as he stretched out his arms.
"I don't know about you guys, but I could use a break right now." Keith proclaimed to them.
Auron stood up as he glanced back at Keith and Hanako.
"I think we can all use a breather for a bit," Auron insisted to the others.
"You guys rest up. I'm gonna scout ahead."
"I'm coming too." She said as she stood up.
"Fine with me." Kieth said as he came up next to Blake and laid back against the log.
Pyrrha and Auron made their way to the far side of the hill, peering ahead at the Northern passage.
"There's the Northern passage!" Pyrrha said.
"Yeah, now the question remains. How do we get to it?" Auron proclaimed.
"Going around the Lake will take too long. We have to get there before sundown or we'll be stranded."
Pyrrha gazed out over the lake as she looked for a way across. When she then notices a stone passage which looks to cross over to the passage itself.
"Look, there's a passage over there!" Pyrrha proclaimed to them.
"Maybe we can use it to cross the lake."
Auron turned to where she was pointing. Where his gaze was to be met with the passage itself. The sight alone brought a feeling of intimidation.
"Oh, no." He said.
"Not that way!"
Pyrrha turned to Auron, seeing him staring nervously at the lake ahead.
"What is it?" Pyrrha asked, glancing at him.
"What's wrong?"
Auron shook his head.
"That's the path of the Serpent. It's the one place most students try to avoid." Auron claimed to her, gesturing his head to the passage.
"What do you mean?" Pyrrha asked, curiously.
"The Path of the Serpent is said to be one filled with peril." Auron insisted to her
"Especially the creature that lurks within the depths of the lake."
Pyrrha turned and looked back over the lake in the distance.
"A Creature?" Pyrrha asked, curiously.
It was no secret amongst all of Lothadare of the beast which lurks within the valley's lake. Many of the students from previous semesters who dared cross the pass had encountered it. Though never before has any Knight ever beaten this creature of the lake before. Rather it has always been all that anyone has ever done is keep it at bay long enough to escape into the portal. But even then, not all managed to escape the clutches of the beast and were met with a grizzly fate by it's teeth.
Auron nodded his head.
"They say despite its size, the creature manages to be stealthy. It's been said to attack when you least expect it." Auron insisted to her.
"So you can be halfway to the Northern pass and it will be on you before you even know it. And when you do see it, you will be faced with its many faces."
Pyrrha squinted her eyes at Auron, curiously at what he was saying. She then glanced back at Auron.
"I don't mean to put everyone in danger, but what other choice do we have?" Pyrrha asked.
"There's no other way to the Northern passage."
Auron turned forward, peering ahead at the lake in the distance. He then narrowed his eyes, thinking. Having been taught by both his mother and father to be strategic is one's best chance of winning a battle. Thus if they were to cross the path along the Lake, they needed to be swifter than the creature itself.
"An enemy that is known to ambush is hard to predict," He said, shifting his glance to Pyrrha.
"Our best course of action is to proceed along the path as quickly as we can. And be on the lookout for any sign of attack."
Pyrrha nodded her head in agreement.
"Yeah, I agree," Pyrrha said.
"But what do we do if the creature does attack?"
Auron turned forward as she pondered that very possibility. He then shook his head, uncertain of what to do if that was to happen. If it were that the creature would attack them, their chances of survival would be slim. While many have fought the beast itself, none have been able to defeat it. Not even Akara herself had been able to defeat the Lake creature.
"I'm not sure." he said, returning a glance to her.
"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. For now, we need to focus on getting across without getting it's attention."
Pyrrha glanced back toward the passage across the lake. The underlying fear that they will inevitably encounter still persisted. Regardless of what they did to try and avoid such an encounter.
"Come, we should head back," Auron proclaimed to her.
"We need to get ready to move."
Pyrrha nodded her head.
"Uh, right." she said.
Auron then turned and made his way back toward the others. Pyrrha was just about to follow, when suddenly she once more heard the voice from before.
"You must protect them."
Pyrrha then paused for a moment. She then glanced back, curiously.
"Akara?" she asked.
"You must protect each other. Only together, can you defeat the creature. Only together, will you prevail."
Pyrrha narrowed her eyes, pondering the words of her predecessor. It was clear now that they would indeed encounter the beast which lurked within the depths of the lake. A battle that seemed quite hopeless to win. At least from what they had assumed. Through the words of Akara, there may be a chance. There may yet be a way for them to defeat the beast.
Auron paused as he glanced back at Pyrrha.
"Hey, what is it?" He called her.
Pyrhra glanced up to him, realizing what she was doing.
"Huh, oh uh, nothing." she said as she then followed afterwards.
Pyrrha and Auron came up to where Hanako, Blake and Keith were resting. Laying against the log, Keith had dozed off into a nap. All the while, Blake and Hanako were sitting over the grass, waiting for them to get back. The two seemed to be in conversation with each other. Only to then turn back upon noticing them coming up to them.
"Alright, break time is over," Around announced to them.
"We need to get moving."
Keith moaned, waking up from his nap. He then glanced at them.
"Hey, you guys back already?" He said, rubbing the back of his head.
"Yeah and right now, we need to get a move on." Auron proclaimed to them.
"Where?" Blake asked, curiously.
"To the Northern Passage, we have to get to the Portal before sundown." Auron proclaimed to them.
"Alright, what's the plan?" Keith asked.
"It will take too long for us to go around. We have to get to the Northern Pass and fast." Pyrrha insisted to them.
"So we're going to have to take The Serpent's Path."
The very mention of the Serpents path had Hanako and Keith glancing up at Auron and Pyrrha.
"Serpent's Path...?" Hanako said.
"Wait…You don't mean... the one with the...?" Keith asked, curiously.
"The one that… Oh man... you can't be serious..."
"It's the only way back to the Academy," Auron insisted to them.
"If we're lucky, we might be able to cross over without getting its attention."
"Given our luck so far?" Keith said.
Hanako nodded her head in agreement.
"He's right, the creature will no doubt be wary of any intruder's in its domain." Hanako proclaimed.
"Avoiding it will be impossible. Especially with Blake's injury."
"I can do this." Blake insisted to them.
Pyrrha glanced at Auron.
"She's right, it will no doubt be waiting for us." She insisted upon her claim.
"We have to at least try." Auron proclaimed to them.
"What happens if it comes after us?" Hanako asked.
There was a moment's pause on Auron's part, narrowing his head as he pondered. Pyrrha narrowed her eyes. Thinking back to what Akara had told her before, she then realized the truth of her words. She then turned back to the team with a more determined look.
"Then we face it together." Pyrrha proclaimed to them.
Everyone then turned to Pyrrha.
"Say What?" Keith asked.
Auron squinted his eyes at her.
"Pyrrha, you can't be serious." He said.
Pyrrha turned to Auron, seeming determined.
"I am, Auron," She insisted to him.
"Now I know she's talking crazy." Keith said.
"Look, I know that it seems hopeless, and I understand that you're all scared. But I know we can do this." She continued to say.
"No matter what happens along the way, we're each other's family now. We'll protect each other. Only together, can we face what lies ahead and make it to the Northern pass. Only together lies our greatest strength."
Auron, Blake, Hanako and Keith each stared up at Pyrrha. Their expressions seemed out of awe and disbelief that she would suggest facing such a beast. Though at the same time, the words of which she had spoken all but brought a feeling of awe and inspiration. As if they had heard it from Akara herself.
Blake glanced at everyone before glancing up at Pyrrha. She then smiled as she then stood up, revealing to everyone that her wound no longer kept her from standing. Something which caught the attention of the others.
"She's right, we can do this." Blake insisted to them.
Pyrrha looked up at Blake, who looked up at her, smiling. Hanako then stood up and gestured a nod to her. She then turned to Auron, who turned to her. Seeming unsure at first. Only to then look up at her, seeming as determined as she was to see it through.
"Alright, let's do this." he said with a nod of his head.
Pyrrha smiled and nodded back to her.
"Let's go." Pyrrha then said.
Qrow and Headmaster Rueben watched as Pyrrha and her team made their way to the lake. The headmaster started, worryingly. He feared for the lives of all of his students, especially when it came to the Team Trial. None have ever been able to overcome the monster which dwelled within the lake. Cardin and his team were all but fortunate to have escaped the jaws of the Beast and made it to the Northern Passage.
As well as all the other teams who had made it to the Northern Passage. He could only hope that the prodigy and her team would be able to do the same.
"It would seem that they are choosing the Serpent's path." The Headmaster proclaimed.
"A very risky decision. But bold. We can only hope they are ready."
Lowering the tablet, the Headmaster then began to stagger back toward the forest. Qrow glanced back at him. curiously.
"Where are you going?"
Headmaster Rueben did not answer. Rather he raised his staff and with his magic, opened a portal. He then glanced back at the Atarian Knight.
"Come, we must wait for them at the Academy." The Headmaster insisted to him.
Qrow turned to the Headmaster before following him into the portal.
Pyrrha and her friends emerged from the forest. As they came out over the banks of the lake, where they came faced with the stone bridge which passed over the lake. A feeling of unease and dread for what was to come was indeed present amongst the five. Most notably Keith, who started out over the lake, worryingly.
"I've got a bad feeling about this." He said, glancing at the others.
Pyrrha walked forward toward the stone ramp which led up to the bridge itself. She came up to the stone pillar, where she saw there was some sort of writing carved into the surface. She squinted her eyes, curiously. The writing looked to be a language she did not know.
"You guys, come and see this." She said,
"What is it?" Auron asked as he came up to her.
"There's some sort of writing here." Pyrrha insisted to her.
"I don't recognize the language though."
Auron came up to here, where he examined the writing over the pillar. He squinted his eyes, curiously.
"This looks like ancient Rules." Auron insisted to her.
"What?" Pyrrha asked, curiously.
"The first people who had settled in Lothadare." Auron proclaimed to her.
"What does it say?" Pyrrha asked, curiously.
Hanako came up to them, where she examined the writing over the pillar.
"It's a warning," She insisted to them.
"A warning?" Pyrrha asked.
"It says, Beware the creature who lurks beneath the water. For it is one but many." she said, glancing back at them.
Auron crossed his arms over his chest.
"Well that certainly doesn't help matters." he said.
Pyrrha turned to Hanako.
"Hanako, you know this language?" she asked, curiously.
Hanako glanced to her and gestured a nod of her head.
"I can, the Rulic's and my ancestors were close allies," Hanako insisted to her.
"My family believes in remembering our past. Especially the ones of our friends."
Pyrrha narrowed her eyes as she pondered what she said. She then glanced back at Auron, who gazed up to the ramp leading up to the stone bridge. She glanced up the path to the bridge above. All the while, she pondered what had been said on the stone. The warning they had been given by the Rulics. A creature that lurked below the water, who is one but many? What could that mean?
Auron then stepped forward, glancing back at her and the others.
"C'mon, let's get moving." he said.
Reaching back, he pulled his blaster rifle out from behind before he turned and began climbing up the path. Pyrrha narrowed her head, glancing to the side.
"I hope you're right about this." She said, seemingly to herself.
Drawing both Milo and Akouo with her semblance, she then followed after him along with Hanako and Blake. There was a moment's pause on Keith's part, still quite hesitant. While it was that he was never one to turn down a challenge. He wasn't one to face off against something that seemed hopeless to fight. Especially if it was some sort of lake creature that would no doubt want to have them for dinner.
Raising his hand, he was about to speak. Only to shake his head, knowing that it wouldn't matter.
"I swear, if those guys get me eaten out there." He said before drawing his hammer and following after them.
Many of the students who had completed the Team Trial, or at the very least escaped the clutches of the beast, laid exhausted over the Academy fields. Many of them were being treated by the Academy healers, having to have taken some beatings from their encounter with the beast. Qrow placed his hand over his side, shaking his head.
"By the gods." He said to himself.
It was a shock to see all these kids, who had faced whatever was in that lake, only to be beaten by the creature itself. That or they just ran to escape it. It was no secret that none of the teams had ever beaten the creature before. Not even Akara herself. Though the Trial itself was not about beating the beast itself. Rather it was seeing how efficiently you work together and defend one another.
Though it became clear that many of the other students did not value the ideals as evident of their condition. Most notably, Cardin and his team, who seemed to have taken the brunt of the beating. Glancing over to them, Cardin seemed to be less banged up compared to the three others, who were laying over the ground, bruised and scarred. How any of them made it out alive was beyond him.
Qrow glanced back at the Headmaster, who staggered past him.
"The Team Trial becomes harder with every passing year," The Headmaster said.
"With the lack of training they receive from the combat schools, the Trials are proving to be more of a challenge than before."
The headmaster then paused. He then cocked his head, placing his cane firmly before himself.
"We are all but fortunate that they survived this Team Trial," he then said.
"The Gods have been all but merciful to us in these dark times."
He then glanced up to the large monitor they had set up, which showed Pyrrha and her team making their way across the stone bridge. The other students were watching both worryingly and in anticipation for their Team Trial. Qrow came up next to the headmaster, where he gazed up at the screen.
"And now it is time for the Prodigy and her team to face the Beast." Rueben said.
"May the Gods grant them such Luck a they have the others."
Pyrrha and her friends walked along the stone bridge. Unannounced to them of the dark looming shadow below the surface of the water.