*** Nathans POV***
We have been walking around this new area for over an hour now and my feet are killing me.
[ What is up with Sora's energy?! Did the gods grant him unending mana? ]
Sora and I have been collecting seeds from weird trees that Yuki might like but for the most part I have just been watching as Sora has ran from one spot to another with an interested look on his face.
" Hey what do you think this is called?"
" What about this one Nath?"
" This one!?"
Sora's voice is going to end up ringing in my ear like a bell by the end of the day. Not that I know if it is day or night anymore. I sighed as I looked around trying to find a a good place for us to camp for the night.
" We are supposed to be looking for camping spots" I said quietly.
" Don't be such a stick in the mud.. Wait that is Heyu. Get it cause he makes mud babies..hahah." Sora said as he made himself laugh.
" That is the worst joke you have made yet" I said shaking my head.
If there was one thing that I had learned since traveling with everyone it was that Sora was the most childish. There was something really nice about it but that blood crazed look that he had in his eyes when he is battling always make me wonder if it is all just a mask.
Who was he really? I had no idea but if Yuki trusted him I guess I would at least give him a chance.
I clenched my fist as all of a sudden we heard a loud bang followed by the site of a rather large fire ball being shot up into the air.
" Fire… was that Kibbles?" I blurted out as I watched the fire fade like a firework.
" Coming from the north.. Either they found a campsite or something is wrong.."
Sora had looked at me in that moment and nodded at me before I at him. No words were needed as we both knew what we had to do.
I made sure to secure the items that I had collected on our walk so far and withdrew my boomerang from my back.
" Let's go!" Sora shouted as he lead the way through the gloom.
He then hummed a few words and both him and I were covered in wind magic. The muscles in my legs had felt weightless as I began to run faster and faster.
[ I guess he can be pretty useful in a pinch! ]
I threw my boomerang ahead of us as we charged, Its serrated edge cut through the local plant life like a knife through hot butter, cutting down the need for caution as we traveled at full speed. I had hope that we would not be too late as we made our way through the forest.
I felt a familiar vibe as we approach the scene were the fireball had been shot.
" Water up ahead. A lot of water!" I shouted warning Sora.
He held up his hand in acknowledgement that he had heard me as we continued to run.
Faster
Faster
We moved as quickly as our legs would carry us.
" Stop!" I said and I felt the water particles become extremely dense.
The particles ahead of us were pulsating and churning excitedly. Something extremely dangerous was up ahead of us. The only thing we could see ahead of us was a murky looking lake that stretched for miles.
I looked down at the water and a sense of fear washed over me. What ever called this place home was most likely not very friendly.
" We have to cross the lake our friends are in trouble" Sora said seriously as he looked over at the lake ahead of us.
" There is something… very unfriendly nearby" I said quietly.
" … can you get us across?" Sora said looking at me ignoring my warning.
" I can I just need something we can use as a raft" I said with a nod.
Sora and I looked around for a moment before I spotted something that looked like an old piece of driftwood.
" We will need another like this!" I said pointing.
Sora nodded in response before he ran off and returned with another piece around the same size. It looked like it had been cleanly cut using his wind blades. I couldn't help but take a moment to admire his handy work before I grabbed the piece of wood from his hands and placed it on the water.
I then placed the first piece next to it before mumbling a water control spell and placing some magic on each piece of the wood.
" Climb on." I said as I jumped on one of the boards.
Sora saw how I was standing upright on the board and followed suit with the second board.
[Here goes nothing. I hope whatever is exciting the water particles is asleep.]
I mumbled the activate section of the spell and the water under our feet began to move. It was hard to keep balance for both Sora and I but after a little practice we started gliding across the water at a decent speed.
" Look out!" I said just as we made it half way across the lake.
My worst fear had come true as I watched balls of water the size of a fist appeared aiming right for us.
Whoosh!
One just missed my head and the second was deflected by my boomerang. I gathered up some strength before unleashing spell from my hand aimed at Sora's board.
" This should get you across I'll distract what ever just attacked" I shouted as Sora's board sped up.
" But" Sora said as he began fading away.
" There is no time for arguing go!!" I said frustrated as I dodged another water bullet.
" You better catch up damn it!" Sora yelled before speeding off.
" Who dares wake me!?" Said an unknown watery voice.
" I dared!" I replied loudly mustering my courage.
Just as soon as I said it the water around me began to swell into a single point forming a whirlpool that threatened to suck me under.
I used my water control magic to create some distance between the pool and myself as my heart began to accelerate.
[ Not good!]
The particles in the air danced and sung as if the heavens themselves had come down to greet them. I swallowed my saliva knowing that I was in for a hell of a battle.
[ Last time I saw this kind of energy fluctuation there was a dragon nearby ]
The water finally coalesced converging into a creature that could only be described as a fierce beast. There was no scales, skin or fur it was entirely made of water. Two massive claws with the long protruding neck and features of a sea dragon.
I could see something like a dark blue heart pulsating in its see through body as its figure seemed to stop on the lakes surface becoming one with the very lake it lived in.
[ Undine?! The pure essence of water magic coalesced into a single being. ]
My throat became parched as I looked on in horror.
The Undine are mythical spirit beasts of the fourth level. They are said to live in sources of water absorbing other creatures without mercy. Books had been written about them pulling ships apart from undeath the waves before devouring sailors.
" You have got guts." The Undine said dwarfing me as I stood on the driftwood.
I said nothing as I stood there hoping to buy enough time for Sora to get away safely.
It craned it's head toward me. It's watery breath was felt on my cheeks making me slightly nauseous. The Undine's eyes were about the size of my entire body making me feel more and more insignificant by the minute.
I took a breath out before saying " I have to cross the lake because my friends are in trouble Undine.I do not wish to fight if I don't have to"
The Undine appeared to laugh as bubbles of water foam formed around its belly.
" What if I want to fight?" Said the Undine.
" Then I guess I have no choice" I said as I swallowed my words and drew my boomerang.