Various hills and mountains looked over the dark blue waters of Ragdorian Lake. The sun illuminated the water showing off the true splendor of the lake.
Kai and the others arrived at the lake on horseback. Since she was in the state she was in, Louise and Kai took the same horse.
Nearby, Guiche and Montmorency were on sperate gray horses.
"This must be the famous Ragdorian Lake! No, the beauty of this lake is indescribable! The Water Spirit is in there! It's incredi- Wo ah ah ah!" Guiche suddenly tried to get his horse to stop, and it listened. It listened so well, that Guiche was sent flying forward, straight into the water.
"Can't reach the ground! It's deep! Deeeeeeep!"
Guiche desperately cried out for help while struggling in the water. It seemed that Guiche didn't know how to swim.
Montmorency muttered, "I wonder if we should reconsider our fellowship..."
Kai nodded. "I know I would."
Louise looked up at Kai with a worried face. "Montmorency is nice?"
"W-What? N-No. God... Just wait a little while. I'll get you back to normal."
Kai brought the horse closer to the shore.
After struggling for a little while, Guiche finally reached the shore. He was shivering from head to toe, and had a bitter look on his face.
"Hey, shouldn't you have helped me? Don't desert someone who can't swim!"
Montmorency ignored him and eyed the lake suspiciously.
Kai asked, "What is it?"
"Strange."
"What's strange?"
"The water level has risen. Ragdorian's shore should be further down."
"Really?"
"Yes. Look over there. That is a rooftop sticking out. It seems that the village has been flooded."
Following Montmorency's gaze, they could indeed see the roof. Kai could even see the silhouette of an entire house in the water.
Montmorency walked up to the shore, dipped her finger into the water, and closed her eyes. After a while, she stood back up with a worried expression on her face.
"It seems as though the Water Spirit is angry."
"How do ya know that?"
"Because I am a Water element user. The Tristain Royal family is connected with the Water Spirit of Ragdorian Lake by an old oath. The Montmorency 'Water' family has been negotiating with it for many generations."
"And now?"
"And now, for many reasons, other nobles are doing it as well."
"Then, have you seen the Water Spirit?"
"Only once when I was young. When we needed to create a drainage for the territory, my family sought the Water Spirit's cooperation. A big glass container was made to transport it. However, because the Water Spirit has a lot of pride, it can be extremely aggressive. In fact, it is because of its aggressiveness that my family's drainage scheme failed. My father said to the Water Spirit 'Don't walk. The floor will get wet'..."
Kai let out a sigh. Both sides of that sounded insufferable.
"So... what does the Water Spirit look like?" Kai asked showing a little curiosity.
"I have never actually seen it."
Guiche, flapping his wet shirt that he took off, nodded in agreement. Louise, who had absolutely no interest in the discussion, hid behind Kai's back and unconsciously held on tight to the hem of his hoodie.
"Beautiful! Quite so..." At that moment, an old lonesome farmer hidden behind a tree stepped out. "I suppose, my lords, that you are nobles." The farmer looked away with an embarrassed face.
"What's the matter?" Montmorency asked.
"My lords, did you come to negotiate with the Water Spirit? If so, then we have been saved! Please, quickly make your negotiations and solve this flood problem."
The party looked at each other. It seemed like this farmer was a resident of the village that sank into the lake.
"That, well, we... came here just to see the lake."
Ultimately, Montmorency couldn't tell him that they had come to get the Water Spirit's tear.
"I see... Really, lords and the queen are now only interested in the war against Albion, not even noticing such remote villages as ours. They can't even imagine how hard it is to collect the harvest... Haa," The farmer sighed deeply.
"What happened to Ragdorian Lake?"
"The water started to rise about two years ago. The water level increased slowly, flooding the port first, then the temple and fields... See? Now even the eagles' nests are flooded. The local lords that are responsible for this territory indulge in entertainments in the royal court and pay no attention to our pleas," the old farmer wept bitterly. "For years we lived on this land, depending on the moody Water Spirit. Honestly, it's good when it stays at the bottom of the lake... We really want to understand why it has suddenly become interested in our land. Because this land belongs to men! But, only a noble could communicate with it. I'd like to know what we poor farmers did to make it lose its temper."
Kai and the others looked down in shame for not helping.
ㅤ
After the farmer finished grumbling and left, Montmorency took something out of her bag attached to her waist. It was a tiny frog. It was bright yellow with many black spots.
Montmorency put the frog in the palm of her hand, it stared up at her.
"Frog!" Louise, who was deathly afraid of frogs, screamed and got closer to Kai.
Oh yeah, I completely forgot about that.
"So Monmon, what's with that deadly poisonous frog?" Hearing those descriptors, Louise held on to Kai tightly, which made him feel bad.
"It is not poisonous, I tell you! It is my dear familiar!"
Apparently, this tiny frog was Montmorency's familiar. Montmorency raised her finger and gave an order to her familiar.
"Listen, Robin, I want you to contact an old friend of yours."
Then Montmorency reached into her pocket and took out a needle, in one brief moment she stuck her finger with it allowing a drop of bright red blood to fall onto the frog.
After that, Montmorency cast a spell, treating the wound on the tip of her finger. Then she brought the frog close again.
"Since she knows who I am, she should know who you are. Robin, please, in the name of the great spirits of the dead, seek the old Water Spirit, and tell her I wish to speak with her because of our alliance. Do it for me, understand?"
The frog slightly nodded and disappeared into the water with a splash.
"Now, Robin went to call the Water Spirit. If she can find it, she is likely to bring it here."
Kai brought a finger to his chin. "So... We have to make it cry... I ain't the best with stories, so... Ol' righty and lefty are gonna have to do the trick."
"What are you talking about?"
"We need her tears. How else we gonna get them if we don't make her cry?"
"You really are ignorant. Well, I guess since even non-water element mages don't know it either so it is unreasonable to expect a commoner like you to know. The Tear of the Water Spirit is only a name. It doesn't really shed tears."
Kai and Guiche looked at each other. Louise, lonely without Kai's undivided attention, rubbed her cheek against his tail. It felt as though an odd electrical feeling coursed through his body. He really needed this tear, and he needed it fast!
"Then, what is the tear?" Guiche asked.
"The Water Spirit... compared to humans, can live a long, long, long time. It is said to have existed six thousand years ago when the Founder Brimir established Halkeginia. Its body, like water, can freely change its shape... and in the sun it glistens with seven colors..."
The moment Montmorency said this, the surface of the water began to shine.
The Water Spirit had appeared.
ㅤ
One hundred feet away from the shore where Kai and the others were standing, the water was shining. The surface of the water was churning non-stop. Then the water swelled up like a rising cake.
The water constantly changed its shape. A vaguely humanoid shape was formed for a brief moment, but a moment later the spirit looked like a floating puddle. Though the flashing lights were beautiful... it was oddly terrifying.
Montmorency's familiar hopped back to her with a splash. Montmorency held out her hand and caught the frog and patted the frog's head with her finger.
"Thank you for helping."
Then Montmorency stood up, spread her hands towards the Water Spirit, and opened her mouth.
"I am Montmorency Margarita La Fère de Montmorency. User of water, member of the lineage of old oath. I have put my blood on the frog to help you remember. If you remember, answer in a way and with words that we understand."
The Water Spirit, rising out of the surface of the water... slowly started to gain shape like a clay figure.
Kai's eyes widened with wonder. It was really interesting to see something like this.
The mass of water slowly shaped itself into Montmorency's form and smiled faintly.
However, it was bigger than her and had no clothes. It looked like a nude, transparent Montmorency. It was like an ice statue.
The Water Spirit's expression changed into various forms. After the smile anger followed, then crying, and many others. Each time she tried a new expression, the water moved.
She looked like a constantly changing jewel.
Then her face became expressionless again as the Water Spirit answered Montmorency.
"I remember, human. I remember the liquid that flows in your body. The moon has changed fifty-two times since our last meeting."
"I'm glad. Water Spirit, I need to ask you something. Although it might seem somewhat insensitive, could you give me a piece of your body?"
Kai poked Montmorency.
"So we have to cut it off its body?"
"Shh! Not so loud! The Water Spirit can get very angry! That's why it's nearly impossible to obtain the tear. How the people in the city's black market can get it... I simply cannot imagine."
The Water Spirit smiled.
"Oh, it smiled. That has to mean we're in the clear!"
But, the words that came out of its mouth... maybe because it still didn't know how to express itself properly, was the complete opposite of its expression.
"I refuse, human."
"Is that so? How unfortunate. Oh well, we'll be heading back now."
Kai was shocked by how easily Montmorency gave up.
"Woah hey! Wait a minute! Don't give up on Louise so easily! Hey, Water Spirit!" Kai pushed Montmorency aside and faced the Water Spirit.
"Wait! You idiot! Don't anger the Water Spirit!"
Montmorency tried to move Kai aside, but Kai didn't move an inch. Guiche moved his head to the side wondering if Kai would survive against this thing. Louise silently moved closer to Kai. Seeing such a scene, it was hard to tell which one of them was the familiar.
"Great Water Spirit! Please! I'll do anything you ask! We just need that tear! Only a little piece!" He clasped his hands together as if praying to the spirit.
The spirit remained unfazed.
"Someone really important to me is in trouble, and the only way to help her is with that tear! Please! Don't you have someone like that?"
Hearing this Montmorency stopped trying to pull Kai away and let out a deep sigh. Guiche, who was moved to tears already, nodded. Louise, feeling insecure, kept clinging to Kai.
The Water Spirit changed her appearance a few times before taking Montmorency's shape again and said to Kai, "Very well."
"Really? Yes!"
"But with one condition. As a mere human that doesn't know the reason of this world, you said that you would do anything?"
"Yep! That's what I said!"
"For me to truly consider your help, you must prove yourself."
Kai stepped forward and nodded. "I'll do it."
Before anything else could be said or done, a gigantic stream of water crashed into Kai and swept him away.
"Kai!" Louise was already reaching for her wand.
Montmorency held her back. "You can't interfere! It would anger the Water Spirit!"
ㅤ
By the time Kai broke out of the stream of water, he was already at the center of the lake. There was so much water around him that he couldn't see the shore, but he wasn't concerned about that.
Kai quickly forced air out of his nose, getting some water out. After that he hit his head, listening for a hollow sound. After making sure there wasn't any water in his ears, he spit out whatever got in his mouth.
"Gross! You coulda given me a warning!" Kai reached back to grab Derflinger, but he wasn't there. Crap. He left Derf back at the academy.
In front of Kai, the Water Spirit floated, seemingly unamused.
Kai. You need to take this seriously. If you don't, your life may be in danger.
Oh, really? I haven't heard that one before!
Raising his fists, Kai flew straight at the Water Spirit. Rearing back his arm, Kai punched the Water Spirit. As expected, the Water Spirit was unfazed as it quickly reformed itself.
Backing off for a moment, Kai jumped straight back at the spirit throwing dozens of jabs and kicks at it. None of them affected the spirit.
The Water Spirit hadn't even tried to fight back, which irritated Kai.
Floating back a bit, Kai charged up a blast in his right hand. "Try this on for size! Brilliant..." A tiny sparkle of Ki glittered right in front of Kai's pulled-back middle finger. The tiny energy attack went flying as Kai flicked it forward. "EXPLOSION!"
A gigantic explosion of white energy burst out, scattering most of the nearby water. Though, it didn't truly affect the spirit.
A tidal wave hurtled straight toward Kai. He expected it to be quite slow, but the wave crashed into him faster than he anticipated. The tidal wave hurt, but it started to drag him under the water. Being submerged, Kai felt the water around him start to condense as if trying to wring the air out of him.
He tried to wrench a part of his body free, but the water was so pressurized that he couldn't move. A white aura burst around him as he tried to break free, but the pressure around him just started getting worse and worse. It seemed that the spirit thought that wringing him wasn't enough, as the water started shifting, forming what felt like blades that cut him.
The blades cutting through the pressure around him only helped to disorient Kai as he was starting to be spun around.
Closing his eyes, Kai started to focus on the patterns. Maybe if... It was worth a shot.
Kai formed a small energy blast in his hand, and now he had to wait...
A cut on his side forced a lot of air out of his system, but he still had to wait a little longer...
Now!
A jet of water shot out, cutting Kai, but right behind it, Kai fired out the small blast, which passed straight through the water barrier and out of the water. Using his own energy as a beacon, Kai teleported out.
Panting heavily, Kai saw that the Water Spirit reformed itself, and floated right in front of him. Seemingly out of desperation, he started sending faster kicks and jabs at it once more, though of course...
That was his plan.
Being the arrogant thing that he expected it was, the Water Spirit didn't try and move and took the attacks head-on. Just as Kai was about to throw a devastating punch at the spirit, he formed a Ki barrier around his hand.
When the punch connected, a large chunk of the Water Spirit was eviscerated. Kai spun his leg around with a barrier around it as well, but before it landed, a large geyser of water shot up from underneath him. The geyser miraculously turned around and dragged Kai underneath the water once again.
When he felt the same suffocating feeling, Kai tried to fire out another Ki blast, but it was snuffed out by the water around him. As he was being dragged to the depths of the lake, he heard Gandy's voice.
Kai! Stop holding back!
With a fierce look, Kai's eyes suddenly turned teal.
A few bubbles appeared from where Kai was being dragged down. Then more, and then even more. Soon, the water looked as if it were boiling. Not a moment later, now adorned with golden hair, Kai floated above the water.
Seeing the Water Spirit materialize in front of him, Kai spit some blood out and cupped his hands. "Ka...me...ha...me...!" The blue ball of Ki in Kai's hand was ready to fire out.
The Water Spirit raised its hand. "That is quite enough. You have proven your strength, Gandalfr."
"Ha-! Huh?" Kai quickly dispersed the wave of Ki in his hands and looked at the spirit in confusion.
Before Kai could ask any questions, the Water Spirit had already moved back to the others.
Letting out a sigh, Kai's hair turned black again. "Coulda at least given me a ride back..."
Would you really want that?
"No..." Kai placed two fingers on his forehead and teleported back to the others.
ㅤ
"Kai!" Louise rushed to him and hugged him tightly.
"H-Hey Louise..." He gently put his hand on her head.
"Wh-What was that?!" Montmorency yelled out.
"What was what?" Kai acted clueless, but he knew what she meant.
"The sudden burst of power! The teal eyes! The spiky golden hair!"
"Oh, that? Psh...Just... Super Saiyan... I'll explain it later, it's rude to leave our guest waiting," Kai said while pointing to the Water Spirit.
"A-ah."
"Now then... your task. Repel those that attack me, your comrades," The Water Spirit said in a monotone voice.
The group looked at each other.
"Repel?"
"Yes, I have raised the water level as far as I could. I no longer have the energy to fight them. If you can fight them off, I will bestow unto you my tear."
"I hate fights..."
Kai put his hand on Montmorency's shoulder and patted it as if comforting her.
"You wanna eat prison food instead?" Kai once again threatened Montmorency about the forbidden potion and she, like the day before, couldn't help but to give in.
"Alright fine! I'll do it!"
So it was decided that they needed to discover the identities of the people attacking the Water Spirit.
ㅤ
The place where the Water Spirit lived was at the very bottom of the lake. Someone, using magic, had attacked her there in the middle of the night.
Kai and the others hid themselves in the shade of a tree on the shore on Gallia's side, a place that the Water Spirit had shown them, and they waited for the assailants to come.
Montmorency seemed to be on edge around Kai, but that didn't stop them from talking.
Guiche, in an effort to cheer himself up before the battle, took a sip from some wine he had brought. When all of his anxiety was gone he started to sing.
Louise was in an extremely bad mood because Kai was only talking to Montmorency.
Why is he nicer to Montmorency than to me? Does he love her? Or maybe he just hates me?
This thought came with an angry cry from Louise.
With her roaring around like that Kai was forced to kiss her cheek many times to calm her down and put her to sleep. After that she slept calmly next to him, breathing softly with Kai's hoodie on her to keep her warm.
Since nobody seemed to be nearby, those who were still awake sat around and had chitchat.
Kai explained what Super Saiyan was to Montmorency which seemed to calm her down somewhat. He really hoped he didn't have to explain every single time someone saw it.
Hearing about it made Guiche ask, "Kai, when did you get that form?"
"Huh? Oh, back when I fought Wa- uh... That time we were out of school on the princess' quest..." Kai forgot that Montmorency didn't go, and almost let out what happened. She looked at him suspiciously.
"O-Oh right back then, well that much was fairly obvious... I should have asked, how did you attain that form?"
"Yeah, that's a way better question... Well, I got stabbed through the heart, and this mix of... anger and determination coursed through me. It was as if I couldn't let him win no matter the cost. So, I stood up, and my injury had healed itself when I turned for the first time." Kai seemed extremely nonchalant.
"You... were stabbed through the heart?!" Montmorency and Guiche simultaneously yelled.
Kai plugged one of his ears. "Gah! Not so loud! But yeah, here's the scar to prove it." Kai moved his shirt out of the way to show his chest. Right over where the heart was, there lay a small circle-shaped scar. Along with that scar, there were small red marks.
Now that they noticed there were marks all over his chest and neck.
"Kai... what are those marks?" Guiche asked.
"Uh... Oh crap! Everybody get ready I sense two people." It was Kai's lucky break. The assailants showed up just in time.
Two moons were shining high above in the sky. It was midnight.
Shutting his mouth, Kai got ready to fight.
Montmorency, scared by the sudden tension, muttered in a shaky voice, "Anyhow, b-because I hate savage fights, I-I'll leave it all up to you."
Guiche was still a little drunk and he leaned towards Montmorency. "Don't worry Montmorency. I'm here. I will bravely protect the maiden from war and punish the villain."
"Guiche, be a decoy."
Guiche nodded.
Kai took a deep breath. The assailants were getting close. There were two of them.
He gazed at Louise's sleeping face and muttered silently, "Wait for me, I'll definitely bring you back."
ㅤ
The two people were now on the shore. It was hard to tell what they looked like with their robes.
Kai stayed still, he didn't want to attack just yet. They might not be the right people. Along with that... something about their energy seemed eerily familiar.
The pair pulled out their wands while standing next to the water. It looked like they started chanting spells.
Convinced they were there to attack now, Kai stood up from the shade and dashed out. Before the two of them could see Kai, he darted behind a tree and hid.
Seeing him hiding, Guiche started chanting a spell.
The ground where the pair stood suddenly rose and became a huge hand-like tentacle that twined around the assailants' feet.
Silence.
Kai dashed out of the shade of the tree. It was over a hundred feet between Kai and the mages. But Kai was able to close the distance in less than a second.
However, the enemy's reaction was quick. The assailants started muttering spells at the same time the ground had risen. Flame flew out of the end of one wand, burning down the soil that gripped the pair's feet. The smaller one surprised Kai by aiming their wand at him.
Kai didn't have enough time to dodge, and was hit by an air hammer. He was blown away.
In no time, an ice arrow followed. Kai jumped onto his hand and kicked it away, but the taller mage shot a big fireball at him. Kai tried to dodge this one, but his movement was anticipated.
"Eek! This is gonna hurt!" Kai raised his hands, grabbing the fireball, and ripping it in two. Small fragments of fire were scattered all around, but Kai's hands already started hurting as he blew on them.
The two of them had a system. While one was attacking the other would start chanting. It was a solid defense. But Kai only needed one opening and he would be able to get in. As Kai was preparing himself, a raging wind knocked him back.
Another fireball came flying at Kai, who didn't try and dodge it. This time he quickly fired a Kamehameha at it. It was a clash of flame and Ki, and it seemed like somehow the fireball was eating the Kamehameha as it was getting bigger and bigger.
"Fine then, I'll just amp it up! Haaaaagh!" Kai's aura burst around him and he transformed into Super Saiyan. The Kamehameha looked like it doubled in size. As the fireball was being pushed back the other mage joined in and pushed it along. It seemed to be evenly matched now.
How the hell are two random mages able to match Super Saiyan?! So much for a legendary power.
At that moment Kai felt an intense pressure, he dropped the Kamehameha and jumped back. He jumped in the nick of time as the area in front of him exploded and blew the fireball off. This magic... Louise's Void!
"Don't bully Kaiiii!"
Louise's scream echoed through the night. It almost made Kai cry. Louise helped me. Though she was asleep... she probably woke up from... ah Super Saiyan.
Louise waited for an attack, but their guard was off now. Thus, Kai had an opening. With a balled-up fist, Kai was about to rush in for an attack...
But the pair stopped moving. Louise's scream made them realize something. The two shadows looked at each other.
And removed their hoods.
The faces that appeared in the moonlight were...
"Kirche! Tabitha!" Guiche shouted loudly.
"What!? You two?!" Kai was shocked that the two of them were behind this whole thing.
Surprised, Kirche shouted as well, "You? Why?!"