The Prodigies: The Return of Equinox

Chapter Fifty: Ordered - A Summons for Judgement

They neared where The Six has resided, The Swirling Lake. They had just crested a hill and got a clear view of the massive body of water that was The Swirling Lake. They had to stop to take it in. The lake itself seemed as though it stretched to the horizon in all directions. And, true to the name, the lake had a strange current that flowed in a spiral of sorts. There was no push or pull to the water, only a steady, but unstopping, movement that challenged any perceived notions of how water was supposed to work.

"I don't like the look of that water." Voleria buzzed. "It isn't natural."

"You aren't exactly all that natural either." Replied Seilan. "But this lake, no, sea seems like it's draining towards something in the middle."

"Druids. I'm sure they are the ones responsible." Celesta watched the water with a curious look in her eye. How much power, she thought, did a druid have to be able to make such a thing exist long after their death?

"Druids." Ellondra wondered if they were all like the one they had met.

"Let us continue." Seilan had brought the wagon to a slow speed again.

As they worked their way down the hill Seilan spotted some movement towards the middle of the lake. Goosebumps appeared instantly and the hair on the back of his neck stood on end. His arms turned to jelly and his mouth grew drier than a desert. That was when it jumped out of the water. A fish. Maybe trying to catch a bug or something. Seilana let out a long sigh as she trembled at the thought of actually being attacked by something as monstrous as The Six were rumored to be. She felt a hand touch her shoulder and she jumped a bit. She turned to see Celesta, but rather than any words she only nodded. Seilana looked at her eyes looking for the meaning, but found only a contagious bravery. Seilana returned the nod.

They came down low on the hill and neared a beach front. As they started to unpack their supplies the current of the lake had grown in strength. They worked faster in response, not knowing what the strengthening of the current meant. They had an assortment of tools and weapons ranging from harpoons to arrows, large hooks to ropes, and some food items that would give them large reserves of energy to call upon like honey, dried meats, grains, and some nuts. 

Seilana and Ellondra worked as a team to cut down some trees for wood for a small boat while Celesta begun work on some talismans to give them all sorts of protections and advantages and Voleria worked on scouting the area. The water's current slowly, but surely, grew faster and faster. Seilana and Ellondra had just cut a few trees down when Celesta finished her work on some talismans. Celesta split the trees into boards, mast, rudders, and railing to create the boat. Voleria returned not long after and created a sail of webbing, but there was nothing significant to report.

As they moved all their things into the boat the swirling of the lake grew slower, as though welcoming them. Celesta handed out a talisman to each of the group and embedded the rest into the mast of the boat. Seilan moved to the back to steer, as he was the only one who bothered to read nautical strategy and knowledge. Celesta stood at the front, or bow, of the boat, ready to cast any spell that they might need. Ellondra manned the left, or port, side of the boat, while Voleria manned the right, or starboard, side. Once everybody was ready, Celesta called and pushed for the waters to receive them. The water burst onto the beach and covered it. As it flooded higher and higher the footing of everyone aboard the ship began to falter a bit. None of them had ever been on a boat, and they would have to learn how to deal with their weight constantly shifting back and forth. The boat began to move and as soon as the boat was in deep enough water Celesta cut off her spell. As they finally moved into the large mass of water the lake stood still.

The current which had raged before was now gone. The air was still as well. Nothing moved, and nothing dared to. There were no birds overhead, and they could see no fish. No bugs, except for Voleria, were in sight. It was as though they had entered a purgatory where the very idea of existence had come to a screeching halt, and no one was to move else they would be evaporated into nothingness along with everything else. Celesta, who was still getting used to feeling sensations on her arm, could feel all the fine little hairs on her arms stand on end. Seilan, feeling unsure of himself, could feel himself changing bit by bit every second; Seilan's appearance betraying the courage he wanted to keep. Ellondra could feel herself shrink an inch by the second in the giant, imposing, and unrelentingly still lake. Voleria couldn't quite comprehend what it was feeling. It was like tens of thousands of tiny, near insignificant on their own, voices were all screaming and shouting to get away, to fly, to escape this obvious trap that they were already in while its own voice only screamed no in return. That was when something happened.

There was noise that emanated from the center of the lake. A sound of movement. Everyone looked and saw the waves of disturbance on the water that the movement cause, but not the source. Then another sounded right behind them, but when Seilana went to check there was nothing.

"Who are you?" asked a voice that came from all directions. "What do you want?"

"We are here to seek out The Six. Who are you?" responded Seilan

"We are The Six. What business do you have with us?"

"We just want to talk."

"Lying is such an ugly thing to do."

"We are here to kill you." declared Celesta. "You pose a danger to all of our peoples' progress to tame the land in this direction. Your death will help thousands upon thousands of families flourish."

"I guess the truth will have to wait. Now. Face me. And receive judgement."