Return to Jorgaldur Volume V: Reunion (2)

At the lake (II)

"Ha, ha, ha! Despair! You'll never reach me here!" the vampire mocked. He was visibly unhinged.

After the third attempt, Eldi had stopped shooting. It was necessary to pay attention to the corrupted beings approaching. They were even coming from the lake. Although it was difficult for them to get out, some attacked at range. Projectiles as harmless as water could be dangerous when it was full of miasma.

"They're here now," Goldmi sighed in relief, and threw the seeds she had collected when the plants had germinated.

The vegetation was growing in their direction, but it would take time for it to arrive, something they didn't have much of. They needed to grow and give seeds to expand.

Immediately, the seeds thrown by Goldmi began to germinate. Soon, they would have reinforcements in the form of plants, and the miasma began to be purified around them. Although not on them. The Consecrated Ground had already taken care of that.

"What's going on? The water...?" Eldi was surprised, as he replaced the spears.

He had stuck them with Stood behind an Earthen Wall, and a couple of losts had been impaled on them. Those which had tried to go around the wall had found an Abyss. Once they had been held back and pushed to the center of the axe skill, a pair of Xs had sectioned them.

"No... idea," Goldmi was surprised.

The elf could sense the dryads' intentions, but that phenomenon eluded her. They weren't supposed to be able to affect the water, but it was being purified. The dirty color was taking on a transparency only blurred by the corruption of the bottom.

"Whatever it is, it's good. If the water ones stop bothering us, it'll be easier," Gjaki added.

Meanwhile, a tentacle was Enlarged and put into the water. The kraken moved it around a little, until she was satisfied.

"Sisters, clean water. I'm going in," she pushed herself on her other tentacles

The elf didn't have time to react before hearing the splash as her sister entered the water. Immediately, the kraken began to regain her real size. She was growing as the water purification progressed.

The corrupted water was corrosive and unpleasant, but not so much that she couldn't put her tentacles in for a moment, grab some aquatic losts and squeeze them until they simply disappeared. The inhabitants of the lake, as corrupted as they were, were no match for a kraken that had regained half her size.

She Inked an area a little further away, from where some fish were throwing jets of water. That blinded them, and would confuse them for a while. She hoped that it could last until the purified water reached them.

The closest ones that hadn't been caught by the tentacles attacked her, as they propelled themselves with their tails. However, the kraken's body became Slippery, so their attacks had a rather disappointing result. In addition, it didn't take long for them to be caught by the powerful tentacles.

From the water and with the body increasingly close to its original size, the kraken could exert almost all her power, even on the shore. Its enormous tentacles swept away the nearby losts and brought them into the water, where they were easy prey for her.

Realizing this, Eldi placed several Rock Walls to direct the losts near the shore. He Propelled those which he had the opportunity toward the lake. In addition, he took advantage of the fact that a tentacle was nearby to add some blessings to her, as the lynx, the goshawk, Goldmi, Gjaki or himself already had.

"Good Eldi. Even stronger now," she rejoiced.

Goldmi also approached the water, as she was protected by her sister and the plants. There, she could more easily exercise her power, and didn't have to worry about defending herself, about switching to sword and dagger. Although the elf could fight in melee, she was more efficient at supporting her companions.

Like the rhinodrile that stumbled when Obstacles in the form of roots hindered it, as the lost was trying to attack Eldi. A tentacle carried it into the water after receiving the warning from her sister.

A corrupted reindeer lost sight of the vampiress when its eyes were pierced. Gjaki pushed the arrows even further in, as she had taken the opportunity to grab a hammer. She loved to do it from time to time.

As for the lynx, warned by her sister, she stopped for a moment to let a Rough Arrow crash against the leg of a corrupted horse, thus destabilizing it. She took the opportunity to Jump on its back, and sink her claws and fangs into it.

She Jumped again, this time on a corrupted alligator in which mouth Eldi had put an axe. Either the lost kept it open, or it closed it and it was split in two.

Caught off guard, she finished it off easily, while the high human took out a spear and stabbed the horse's chest with a Tearing Sting. It had been distracted trying to get up and chase the feline. They had exchanged rivals, which had confused them, and had made it possible to take them by surprise.

Eldi took out another spear. He shot it out with Javelin to stick in the side of a huge wolf, which turned towards him. The distraction cost it being stabbed in the jugular by the vampiress' daggers, with a Backstab included.

A huge grasshopper had come jumping between the other corrupted beings, and now it did so on the blood warrior. Before she could dodge it, the goshawk, who had been watching it, Collided with the insect and sent him into the water.

"Sister, here's a gift," she warned the kraken.

"I'd prefer some fish sticks," she wished.

"Ask Sister Cook for them later," the lynx advised.

Sometimes, they called her that, half jokingly, half seriously.

"When this is over, I'll prepare whatever you want. We'll have a party with Elend and the girls," Goldmi promised, smiling and shooting.

"Sister Cook is the best!" the kraken praised her.

"You can't back out!" the goshawk exclaimed.

"A promise is a promise!" the lynx joined in.

The elf kept smiling. She wanted to be able to celebrate with her sisters, but to do so they had to win this battle and get out alive.

Although the water was being purified, their enemy was still unreachable. Besides, the miasma was being drawn to him, thus making him stronger and stronger.

Furthermore, the lost body parts were regenerating, though they were now darker, even gloomy. There didn't seem to be flesh or blood on them, only miasma. What was unclear was whether this was good or bad news.