Dungeons & Disappointment

Chapter 43: Darkest Hours

Honestly, even as I was staring at the titanic, watery form of Umberlee in front of me, I felt my mouth going dry. My heart was racing as the seven sea serpents were roaring at us, and it nearly skipped a beat when she spoke.

"YOU IMPOTENT LANDMAN!!!!" She roared. "YOU DARE KEEP YOUR HANDS ON MY DAUGHTER, AND YOU DARE TO KILL MY CHILD???"

"Umberlee!!!" I yelled up at the massive form of the goddess. "The sea serpent was fair game! It attacked first!"

"DO NOT TRY AND FOOL ME, LANDMAN!!!" She bellowed. "YOU WERE SENT TO KILL HIM!!!"

"And yet he attacked first!" I fought back, staring down the goddess. "Will you punish us for the actions of your child?"

She grinned, showing off mossy, algae-filled teeth. "GLADLY!!!"

She raised her tridents as all of the serpents roared at us, and I swear, those things were smiling at all of us. Her trident hummed with power, causing the hairs on my arms to stand up on end, but, out of nowhere, Finana ran in front of me. She held her glaive at the ready, giving Umberlee a sneer, and the goddess stopped right in her tracks.

"Finana?" She asked, lowering her voice. "What...exactly...are you doing?"

Finana yelled up to her mother, and, weirdly enough, I couldn't understand her. It wasn't elvish, or dwarvish, or any other common language, but apparently, Umberlee understood it, and she looked back and forth between us. The sea serpents roared and snarled at us, but as she lowered her trident to her side, the sea serpents stopped thrashing as much. Finally, as Finana finished whatever she was saying, Umberlee seemed to mellow out a little bit. She didn't look as threatening as she was before, but she looked like she might kill us at any moment if we said the wrong thing.

Umberlee gritted her teeth, lowering her trident again, and while the sea serpents had topped thrashing, they looked ready to pounce. She regarded me, one of the serpent's chittered, and finally, she softened up a little bit more.

"Very well, daughter." She boomed. "What you have requested will come to pass. I hope I will not regret the decision, Champion of Tempus."

A chill ran up and down my spin, causing me to shudder, and Umberlee noticed as she moved forward, her serpents gnashing their teeth. Unfortunately, my discomfort seemed to bring her great pleasure.

"Yes, Interloper. I know that Tempus, that idiot, has claimed you as his champion. That fool Aia has made you ego quite big about that. But make no mistake, Champion. If I need, I will seal your doom, regardless of Tempus's backlash. Do not disappoint me."

She moved backwards, then aimed her trident at us, and suddenly, the sea serpents dead body turned into millions of small fish. They all scampered and swam away as the other live serpents roared, and Umberlee smiled. She aimed her trident at us again, and now, my armor dissolved into water, but before I could say, or do anything, the serpent hide lifted off of the deck. It floated in front of me, then, fashioned itself into armor, with overlaying scales that almost looked like they could stop a bullet if need be. It came complete with what looked like a skirt, which was a little bit embarrassing, but it covered leggings that looked incredible, as well as boots that were fashioned out of the same scales, but overlayed with leather made from the hide of the serpent. The arms were also armored with the scales of the serpent, and the gloves were made out of the leather of the hide, with small scales that donned and protected them. Finally, the helmet looked quite like my old one, except this one had a piece that came down between my eyes.

"Whoa...." I said breathlessly.

"You are welcome, Interloper." She growled. "The serpent belongs to the sea. Take the armor."