LAKE

All three of the persons who had entered the vampiric ruins had cleared the first stage, albiet in very different ways. But the challenges from now on were to become much harder.

*****

Nocterin entered the next area, and it appeared he had been transported to the bucolic landscapes of the countryside. Tufts of green grass adorned with occasional pink flowers spread out like a carpet, the stalks of grass shining in the sun's rays.

A humongous lake, more like a sea, dominated the center, enhancing the view. Its soft waves danced in sync with the wind's rhythmic cadence. A mountain range, resembling a group of golems, seemed to guard the scene's boundary. Their brown abdomens, shrouded in caeladon clothes, made them appear as protectors, nature's very creation.

Unlike the previous chamber, whose walls closed in every minute and held a harrowing vampire that kept one on edge, this place seemed like a haven of recovery—a paradise of green.

But appearances could be deceiving. Streaks of azure lightning that precipitated out of the blue confirmed the statement. A cacophony of roars sounded shortly after. The air around him heated to an unbelievable point, approaching thousands of kelvins, while the ground was charred and split apart. The entire vicinity of the lightning strike was ruined.

As the effects of the first strike subsided, a second azure streak flashed through the air, this time—quite close to Nocterin. The warrior's figure turned into a blur as he instantaneously escaped the lightning's aim. There seemed to be no escape, however. One after another, flashes gleamed in the air, turning increasingly frequent.

Nocterin's course turned toward the mountains, approaching them at an extremely fast pace. Their peaks shot into the cotton-like clouds, yet Nocterin was still able to scale them with ease. As he neared their zenith, a dense mist surrounded his view. Its thickness was powerful enough to tear through a normal person's vision. Yet, Nocterin wasn't affected in the slightest.

Looking at the other side of the mountain, Nocterin saw a sight that made even him tremble slightly with utter shock. Thousands of serpents littered the ground, their continuous slithering and collisions a sight to behold. Their hisses and huffs, so loud and gruff, somehow reached the mountain's peak from the very nadir.

In their midst, a bright yellow portal gleamed with an otherworldly light, like a tantalizing panacea drawing humankind closer with its irresistible allure.

Nocterin wasn't foolish enough to attempt engaging in battle with the seemingly endless throngs of serpents.

His mind raced through various tactics and plans, his gaze roaming across the entire area—finally stopping at the lake. Seeing the vast amounts of water contained within, a sudden tactic made him pause.

His hands delved into his spatial pouch, emerging with a gem—a kaleidoscope of innumerable shades and hues, shifting patterns with each slight turn.

Clenching it in his fists, Nocterin recited an ancient mantra, his baritone voice deepening. The air itself came alive as millions of tiny chartreuse wisps of energy formed throughout the mountain's atmosphere, gradually fusing into each other. The gem had disappeared by now, its power presumably expanding to create the wisps.

As they coalesced together, their shape turned into an upside-down hammer floating in the sky.

"By the eternal forge, where shadows reign,

Let the hammer fall, and the world sustain.

From the boundless sky, to the earth's embrace,

The power ascends, to its destined place."

The hammer's gigantic structure was finally met with gravity, quaking as it fell directly toward the lake. The calm waters clashed against the mighty hammer.

As the hammer descended, a violent tremor rippled through the earth. Its shockwaves reverberated across the stillness of the lake. The waters, once placid and reflecting the towering mountains that encircled them, began to stir. What began as a subtle ripple quickly grew into a terrifying force, an ancient surge awakened from the depths.

The lake swelled, its surface twisting and surging like a creature in agony. With an earth-shattering roar, the water began to rise higher and higher, as if the very lake itself was defying its natural limits. The mountains, jagged and imposing, became mere witnesses to the fury of the unleashed tide. The water, once contained within its basin, now climbed to the heavens, swallowing the towering peaks as if they were but pebbles in its path.

With a deafening crash, the waters surged over the mountains, unstoppable and relentless, sweeping everything before them. The beasts that had once slithered around the other side of the mountain were caught in the deluge, their cries drowned by the merciless torrent. The lake's fury knew no bounds, engulfing the beasts in its wake, leaving nothing but devastation.

In the silence that followed, Nocterin stood at the precipice, the path now clear. The portal, once guarded by the creatures of the mountain, lay unprotected and open—waiting for the one who would dare to step through. The lake's waters, though still, were now the silent guardians of the passage to the unknown.

Nocterin's feet stepped onto the thin blade of his scythe as it took flight in the air, his body completely still despite the narrow space. His figure passed through the portal, where a familiar figure awaited him—Bhavesh, the spirit who could manipulate emotions.

*****

In the same plain of grass, covered by mountains and replete with a lake, Arin could be seen running as fast as he could, his mind tense and his feet starting to give in. The lightning seemed to be at his tail, giving him not a moment's rest.

His throat had dried as he struggled for breath. His legs moved continually, despite becoming stiff with fatigue.

His figure was near the lake, though going into it was the last thing on his mind. Entering it was basically suicide. Suddenly, a lightning strike flashed toward the warrior. But surprisingly, as soon as it touched the water, it changed to a pinkish shade and disappeared, as if the lightning could do nothing to the water.

This was mindboggling for Arin. It was common knowledge that lightning was most effective in water, yet now, he was seeing the opposite. As he ran around the perimeter, confused whether to enter the lake or not, an ant bit his leg.

Grabbing the pesky creature, Arin was about to throw it when a sudden idea crossed his mind. Creating some distance from the persistent lightning's route, he pulled out a stalk of grass, placing the ant on it and releasing it onto the lake's surface.

Arin circled around the area, his feet starting to give in. Many a time did the lightning strike the waters, but not once did it strike the ant—it was too small a target.

As Arin's mind, soul, and body reached the brink of collapse, the lightning finally struck the ant. The tiny creature, however, was not harmed in the slightest. Instead, it disappeared into nothingness, as if it had been teleported.

Meanwhile, Bhavesh and Nocterin stood silently, waiting for the prince, their faces tense with worry for him. Just then, a shining sparkle appeared out of the blue, and the minuscule structure of an ant manifested in the air.

"..."

The two were extremely confused by the sight. But suddenly, Bhavesh's face lit up with a conspiratorial gleam.

"Oh no! Has His Highness turned into an ant?" Saying this, the spirit picked the ant up into his palms.

"Don't worry, Your Highness. I have a spirit friend who is well-versed in transformation arts. You will soon return to being the handsome young man you are," he softly added while caressing the ant's antennae.

Nocterin stared at the ongoing caper with a dumbfounded look.

"Are spirits weak in the mental department?" he couldn't help but think.

While this buffoonery occurred, Arin had no choice but to jump into the water, even though he was apprehensive about the ant's disappearance. With no energy left, the prince's frail body fell into the water with a splash. A second later, an azure flash manifested in the air and struck his head. His body turned pink, and Arin felt dizzy as his eyes closed, his body teleporting.