Chapter Six: Creature from the Lake

The group made the cavern where Dayn and Sieri had met nine years ago fairly quickly, with his mastery of the light spell he was seeing more of the area then he had before, about five feet from the mushroom tree where they had met was a underground lake.

Sieri's eyes lit up at the memory, her mind taking her back to the day they had met, she had left Gizmorock with her father, she got distracted by a Glowhorn, a purple furred Underdark creature similar to the surfaces deer. Sieri had followed the creature to the mushroom grove where she found it drinking from the lake, when it spotted her it bolted leaving her completely alone in the pitch black of the large cave.

When she caught Dayn glancing at her she immediately returned to her dismissive expression, 'why can't he just make me forgive him already' she thought to herself while looking over the lake, the reason was obvious but she just wanted him to put her first.

Meanwhile Dayn was thinking to himself, 'Damnit Zak, this could have been avoided if you had let me say goodbye or given me some noticed that you were going to adopt me and I would be leaving.' He also looked out over the lake, for being deep underground the water was a beautiful serene blue, Dayn had always felt calm around water, even before he was reincarnated and although the light prevented him from seeing to deep he began to relax.

It was then that he noticed the odd noise, it was a noise he was used to... "Boiling?" he muttered, it was strange, like a bubbling or boiling of water, it wasn't overly intense maybe not boiling but simmering? A surge of dirt and debris began to slowly move into the light from just below the surface, chunks of wood, small bits of rock, and bone? The pollution came to the surface and it was then Dayn noticed it was like its on entity as it crested the clear tranquil lake and began to ooze onto the shore.

"Get back!" he yelled urgently, he startled Sieri who had once again become lost in thought, Ziri who had begun to pull out equipment to make camp stopped and rose to her feet, "What's happening?" she asked while reaching for a weapon.

The substance continued to spill onto the shore near Dayn forming itself into a large translucent orb, Dayn backpedaled placing a hand on the hilt of his claymore, Sieri gasped from where she stood quickly moving away from the water. Dayn pulled his blade from its sheath and swung a wide arcing slash at it from his waist, the blade bounced harmlessly from its surface, he looked at the weapon, the blade came away covered in a slimy residue.

Dayn continued to back away attempting to keep out of its range while he formulated a plan, a thunderous crack sounded from his right hand side where Sieri had been, a projectile pierced through the slime bumping an orb floating near the slimes core. Dayn turned to look in the direction to find Sieri holding what looked like a primitive revolver. The weapon had a short wooden handle connected to its metal frame a large cylindrical barrel with three barrels at its front, smoke trailed from the hammer at its back as Sieri worked quickly to reset the mechanism.

An arrow sliced through Dayn's hair from behind, the shaft sunk into the translucent form as it connected, he could see the fletching already beginning to dissolve. Dayn had a thought, this creature came from the water maybe cold would work on it, he traced a rune in the air which quickly lit up, he swung his blade through it in a vicious overhead chop. The rune flared to life engulfing the weapon in a trail of silver blue frost, as the blade struck the viscous form the body of the slime shivered visibly.

Two more blasts sounded off in Sieri's direction, she now held both of her weapons, in his haste to stop this creature Dayn had failed to move far enough away and the orb rolled over him submerging his form. He couldn't breath within the vile mass, his sword slowly floated away from his hand, He could see Ziri charge her two swords in her hands but couldn't hear what she was saying.

Ziri's weapons banged harmlessly off the ooze again and again as it began to retreat back towards the water, Sieri had a gun pointed at it yet however she couldn't bring herself to pull the trigger. She was also yelling but the sound was far to muffled for Dayn to hear what she was saying, the waters edge was drawing close now, his muscles burned and knew if he didn't do anything soon then this would be it.

Dayn looked inward, he had learned much during his studies at the temple, Zak had taken him to the secret library several times and allowed him to study the tomes but he had only learned so much.

His eyes closed and he was standing at the broken gates of Drakonys, he had learned the name of the divine fortress during his studies, he looked upon Selvarthrallax but his god didn't move. A violent snow storm swirled around him, he felt cold, the great dragon opened one eye to look upon his disciple.

The slime reached the water, Ziri still beat at its form to no avail, she was still yelling, unwilling to let this abomination win, Sieri had dropped to her knees and looked on helplessly.