Death had come for My-re.
There was no running. No hiding. The Grey Wand, one of the most powerful artifact in all of Alastari, was sinking fast in the lake. Rising from the depths below her was her doom. The Lake of Mist monster. A column-shaped creature distorting the water around it with one distinguishing feature. A circular mouth protruding serrated teeth eager to swallow her whole.
My-re thought briefly about swimming back to the surface, but why? It was futile. Maybe it’d allow her another instant on this plane of existence; not a pleasant one thank you very much. Her lungs burned. Her eyes burned. Every muscle burned. All hope lost. She had mere moments left. But her last act would be at least for something; to retrieve the Grey Wand.
She kicked faster, deeper, as a sharp pain shot through her ears, like a thin object being pushed through both ear canals. She realized it was the water’s pressure and now at this depth the air in her lungs would give out, even if she turned around now. The creature was faster, it would reach the wand first. It would then reach her. She resigned in failing, but continued to push forward. Maybe Ahringol, the God of the Dead, would take pity on her soul by not giving up.
Something behind My-re grabbed the seat of her pants. She turned her head. It was Phetmolge, the 7 foot tall captain of the Nightie. He swam downwards with his gigantic long spear in hand, its razor-sharp point leading the way. In the other he pulled her down with him. The Grey Wand and the creature getting closer. He pushed her through the water towards the wand, as he continued downward towards the beast.
The Grey Wand was within reach. My-re saw the point of Phetmolge’s spear plunge straight into the monster’s mouth. He continued to swim downward pushing the creature with him. She lost sight of him in the depths and bubbles from their struggle. Turning her attention to the wand, she reached for it, but it seemed to move. Maybe the current? The air in her lungs burned and wanted to give out. Letting her body relax she started to breath out. The sensation had a relieving effect, but she also wanted to breathe in. Stopping exhaling, she choked down the remaining air causing uncontrolled spasms in her lungs and it felt like they were going to implode. She would drown, but she would retrieve the wand and hoped it’d be found with her body. Using both hands, My-re wrapped them around it in a death-like grip.
Runes, unseen from before, instantly awoke and lit up along its length. Powerful energy coursed up her arms, she almost screamed as every nerve in her body was on fire and sprung to full life. Echoes of forgotten battles and deeds rushed through her mind. Images of multiple high circular doorways on raised stone frameworks being sealed flashed, like a deck of cards being flipped one after the other in front of her. They all appeared to be artifacts of unfathomable age, built by being as far beyond her as she might be above a rodent. Etched and carved around the entire frames were oversized runes. Around them battles raged, she felt hot blood splash across her body. She welcomed its warmth. Broken armies of nightmarish creatures fled before her. There was a desire—no, an excitement--to chase them down and destroy them. The Grey Wand had been in many great and ancient wars and she felt drawn to be part of it. As this new energy coursed through her body, it melted away all pain and awakened her to her full potential.
Death would not come for My-re.
She awoke to reality and saw Phemolge far below her. He had pinned the creature through its mouth with his gigantic long spear to the bottom of the lake. His kicks were getting weaker. He was drowning. The outline of four tentacles were snaking their way up the long spear.
Kicking with more power than she knew she had, My-re advanced wand in hand. She didn’t want to breathe, she didn’t need to breathe, as all discomfort in her lungs and ears were gone. Reaching out she grabbed the seat of Phetmolge’s pants. Gaining a firm grip, she tugged. Her action stirred him as he resisted, limbs flailing. Panicking, likely not able to hold the air in his lungs, he had the wild look of dread of the drowning in his eyes. She pulled him away and upward.
Phetmolge had served his purpose. He was no longer needed. The narrow chasm of the Suicide Gate, which the Nightie traveled didn’t leave My-re much room to fight. She needed him out of the way. With an unconscious thought, a transparent shield protruded from the wand. She swept the shield in a backhanded motion. It pushed Phetmolge upward and away at an incredible speed. He was out of view in an instance as he raced towards the surface. My-re turned to the pinned creature. Outlines of red tinted tentacles, visible in the water, pulled the spear, impaled through its mouth.
It was then she saw the whole of the creature in the Lake of Mist’s current. The thing was at least ten foot tall and half as wide column of ooze, which had the consistency of thick honey. The creature was in a torrent of flux. The sound of a thousand angry rumbling bubbles emitted from its circular mouth. The entity was in pain. The column’s shape bulged out at various angles and its energy swirled violently, as if a storm occurred within its frame. The column shaped creature began to turn towards her. A surge of protoplasm, in the outline of a tentacle, turned Captain Phetmolge’s spear. The long spear rushed forward through the water with incredible swiftness and power.
Swimming, My-re was almost too slow to get out of the way.
Freed from being pinned, the creature swam in circles around her. Bubbles hampered her vision. In a moment, it was above her. It dove forward, one of its tentacles stabbing repeatedly with his charge!
My-re spiraled the shield protruding from the wand and deflected the attack.
The creature winced as the tentacle bent, it appeared broken by the blow. The damaged limb withdrew back into its form. The Grey Wand could hurt it! However, it still had three viable limbs, each angling for a way around her defenses.
It struck with a limb, she deflected. Fighting in the water was slowing her movements. She wasn’t trained.
Another limb blurred forward, stabbing suddenly with blinding speed. It struck her right thigh. It was a terrific blow. It felt like someone had hit it with a bat. Agony swept down her leg.
The third limb made an incredible flesh-splitting slash.
She blindly reacted as she used the shield to deflect the attack. The parry caused her to overextend herself.
The other two limbs lunged forward, thrusting with incredible speed and accuracy. She was too slow to get out of the way. They struck her in the chest. Her limited endowments the other thing helping absorb the blow. The third limb struck forward, like it was cold cruel steel. Floating in the water, she curved snakelike from the blow at the last instant.
My-re was out of her element. She couldn’t maneuver with one good leg as the water caused her movements to slow, and her opponent didn’t seemed hampered by the water. It was too fast, the best thing she could do is react. However, she doubted this thing would tire easily. Desperate, she had to gain the initiative.
Pushing off from the bottom of the lake’s bed, she sought the counterstrike. She barreled forward, trying to run down her opponent with the wand’s shield.
The Lake of Mist’s monster’s three limbs converged and made a wall the blow could not pass.
My-re attempted to pivot, but the limbs slithered around her shield. The creature’s circular mouth with serrated teeth all around pressed forward. She had to keep the shield in front of her. The three limbs snaked their way up her arm. She attempted to pull away, but they held her tight. Desperation set in as the points of two of them pressed into each ear. Piercing, burning pain shot through her head. She screamed, but only bubbles came out. The last of her air. The third limb forced it way into her open mouth. She automatically clenched her teeth. It felt like biting into hardened jelly. Her eyes grew wide in fright as the forth, previously broken limb emerged, fully healed, and came under her shield. It snaked its way over her body and made for her nose. She attempted to twist her head, but the two limbs imbedded in her ears held her still. She couldn’t escape and cursed her stupid arrogance thinking she could take on this creature alone. The fourth limb entered her nostril. Helpless, the last thing she saw was her own blood in the water as she fell into darkness.
Death had come for My-re.