Return to Jorgaldur Volume V: Reunion (2)

Aquatic excursion

"I'm going to enter with my sister the tunnels where the toads are," Goldmi informed.

"I'll accompany you," Gjaki offered.

"It's not necessary, we can do it alone," the elf assured.

"I'll accompany you," Gjaki insisted.

"It's not that she think you need her help. She's just curious. Maybe, she even hopes to be able to use her aquatic skill. You know what she's like," Eldi mocked.

"Then, why're you following us?" the vampiress reproached him.

"For the same reason!" Eldi laughed.

His two companions stopped and looked at him, incredulous. It wasn't a common attitude for Eldi, although to tell the truth, he had once done something similar in the game. He looked at them, smiling widely, almost laughing. Soon, from the 'almost', it became the three laughing out loud.

"That's new," Liodon whispered a little further back.

"Yes, it's a side of dad that I had never seen before," Lidia observed her father with curiosity.

"Wait for me! I want to see it too!" Klimsal signed up.

Elendnas said nothing, but he was standing next to his wife. His intention was evident. There was also Chornakish near Gjaki. Brurol and Cuina, for their part, had no intention of getting wet, so they had initially decided to stay. Until Goldmi had promised them that her sister would take them in a Bubble. Two more didn't matter anymore.

None of the mole-beings really wanted to be underwater, but this was the city they had retaken. So, it was convenient for someone to be a representative. Fita and Hila were chosen, despite themselves. The latter looked askance at Guto, her brother, promising revenge. He was looking away after having betrayed her by voting for her.

The dwarfs weren't interested, and the teams brought by the leprechaun were too busy studying the magical symbols. It could be useful to them if in the future they had to face whoever was behind it. It was likely that they had similar constructions.

The mole-beings were looking at them with some distrust. Those strangers were surface beings, and weren't acquaintances, so they couldn't help but feel suspicious. After all, that was their city, they had just recovered it.

However, the leprechaun had experience dealing with all types of races. Not surprisingly, his age was in the four digits. Together with the support of Gjaki, and consequently of Eldi, they had managed to reassure them, after promising that they had no interest in that city.

Although, that wasn't entirely true. The leprechaun hoped to establish some kind of relationship with the depths, perhaps even leave a gate. He wanted to stay in contact with them, and make sure that his enemy didn't return. Perhaps, they could establish a trading relationship.

However, he was in no hurry. For now, Gjaki and her friends could come and go, which was actually enough at the moment. Managing to overcome the distrust of the mole-beings was something that had to be done with patience. Perhaps, through the dwarfs.

Brurol watched the water in wonder. Just being able to dive inside an air Bubble was something he had never experienced. Several of those Bubbles were led by the kraken, their creator, behind the three visitors.

These had their own means of breathing in the water, and equipment prepared for it. They seemed to be wearing wetsuits, but their defensive power was much greater.

They were advancing through the tunnel that the kraken had pointed, when half a dozen toads blocked their path. The amphibians had been watching, terrified that the fearsome tentacle would come any closer. However, those who had arrived were three terrestrial beings.

The difference in level was great, but the amphibians were in one of their environments, and their enemies weren't. It's true that neither Lick nor Spit worked well underwater, but they moved quickly there, and could quickly engulf their prey. Besides, just by distracting them, those terrestrial beings would drown themselves. At least, it was what the leader of the toads hoped.

The truth was that Gjaki could absorb oxygen from the blood reserve with Oxygenate, and had enough blood stored to last for years. Eldi could Hold the Breath, while Goldmi could summon a Bubble similar to her sister's.

What it even least expected was that those terrestrial beings were capable of fighting underwater. Usually, their movements and skills should be much more clumsy, probably unusable. The possibility they possessed specific underwater skills or spells was something totally inconceivable for the only toad with a certain degree of intelligence. At least, it was until the first toad arrived in front of the elf.

A cloud of Sharp Bubbles cut the daring amphibian into pieces. The difference in level made the water spell lethally effective.

Another couldn't avoid being corroded by the Polluted water around the vampiress. As soon as it came into contact with the spell, the corrosion began to affect it. It couldn't stop and turn around in time.

As for Eldi's, the toad was paralyzed by the electric shock of Electrolysis. The high human only needed to let it approach, and impale it with his spear.

The rest of the toads turned around and fled in terror, including their leader. No doubt they would have had worse luck if the visitors and the kraken had been determined to finish them off, but they were in no hurry.

Goldmi, Gjaki and Eldi looked at the toads. They were crowded in a corner of the cave, terrified.

Once on land, the difference in level was an insurmountable mountain. As if that weren't enough, in the lagoon of the cavern, the exit to the water tunnel, the head and tentacles of the kraken were poking out.

"Someone put a lot of effort into creating this," Eldi appraised while looking around.

"There's no doubt that our ancestors built it," Fita said, stunned.

She wasn't just bragging. There were clear signs in the rock that indicated the authorship of the mole-beings. At least, it was clear to them.

"Back then, it must have been a good secret hiding base," the vampiress praised.

Along the way, they had discovered the remains of several defensive artifacts. Those had been rendered useless by the passage of time, the action of the toads or the old war.

"What do we do with the toads?" the elf asked, while looking at the amphibians. She pitied them a little.

"Eat them?" Chornakish suggested.

"That one with black stripes is the smart one. Maybe, it could be useful to them if we tie it to a contract," Klimsal suggested.

"Oh. Can you do it?" Lidia was interested.

"No, but my brother can. Goldmi could bring him," the elf suggested.

"What do you want to do?" Eldi asked the mole-beings.

That was their city. None of the outsiders had the slightest interest in taking the amphibians. At least, not alive.

Fita and Hila looked at each other, undecided. It was an opportunity, but it could also be a big mistake.