The lake had a muddy surface, a boat adrift, and a bewitching enemy at his face. Argus will have to face an enemy no mortal can withstand.
If his spirit was weak, he could have been rowing this boat he is standing on, towards the afterlife instead.
"Am I not pretty? Or do you have other tastes? Among the mortals I faced, you are weird..." fluttering like a dancing breeze, the voice of the Magindra floated through the air.
"Release me, you vicious mermaid! I won't allow you to take my soul today!" Declaring in a fervent speech, Argus made a stand.
"We will see... hehe If you can win against me, I might consider making you my husband hehe." A flirtatious wink followed by the flipping of her hair. If somebody else had this offer they might have immediately agreed.
"No thanks!" As he said so, Argus leaped forward plunging himself in rotation as he flipped his axis in mid-air, in order to strike this vicious Magindra with a kick.
Of course, the vicious Magindra won't allow him to easily kick her like that, she dived unto the water, evading Argus.
Frustrated that his enemy suddenly vanished, Argus would have to find a way to attack her. He looked at his surroundings but he only saw puddles of water bubbling from the water's surface.
The lake is surrounded by a high mountain range, the branches of the trees swayed, and the clouds are forming above.
"You are such a foolish mortal! Do you have any idea what is happening now as you try to defeat me here?"
"I won't be listening to you! Release me!" Argus rebutted.
Seeing that no voice is heard or that the Magindra had no response, Argus has decided to plunge in the depth of the lake. The difference between this dreamlike space and the real senses beyond this reality is that they are now fighting at the lake instead of a river.
Diving in head first, Argus saw how unclear the water was beneath, it would be difficult to spot the Magindra if she suddenly attacked. Adding to that, Argus is reverted into his former weaker self, a younger version of him.
He regretted that he never put more effort into his training, yet he still hoped that he could defeat this enemy before him.
A few gargling sounds were heard then Argus felt a malicious presence coming close to him. He felt a sting at his back. When he examined himself, there was a claw mark ...
It happened so fast that he had no idea how to counter it.
Argus went back to the water's surface, breathing some air, and dived again, yet it happened again. He received another claw mark, but this time it's in his legs.
Bleeding, the muddy waters mixed with blood, making his vision more blurry. At this moment, Argus felt a tugging whip and a slimy object wriggling on his skin.
He grabbed it! And just like what he thought, it was the tail of the Magindra!
Dashing forward in a galloping wave, Argus immediately came close with the Magindra's upper body and his vision got clearer. It was a spectacular view, your nose will bleed if you are put in Argus's situation.
A pale slender figure and ample rack! A bewitching face, seductive lips, protruding high nose, thin brows, and a jaded timid face. No mortal would look as perfect as the being in front of him. Argus felt a tingling sensation as if he wants to embrace her instead!
But Argus tried to fight this attraction, he knew that this is not her true form!
Recalling what his elders in his previous tribe told, Magindras after enticing their victim, reveal their truest form, an ugly creature in a bluish hue, with teeth having razor-sharp, spiky blades.
Her beauty comes with what most men considered perfect! But that's not her, that's just you being under her spellbinding curse.
.
.
.
...
"You won't fool me you cunt!" Argus insulted the Magindra in hopes that he can combat this bewitching appearance he was seeing. He wondered why it's pale instead of a fair-skinned and earthen-color skin... The Saman is definitely more beautiful than her! He inwardly thought.
"But mortal... hehe I don't have a cunt..." She explicitly told this to Argus with a bashful expression.
"Heck! Damn this..." And Argus could not think of a better insult afterward, his mouth had opened and close.
He felt hopeless, he couldn't do anything to the Magindra until Argus thought of a plan...
He closed his eyes and pretended to weaken his grasp against the Magindra's bewitching appearance as he opened his arms wide, signaling an embrace from him.
When the Magindra saw this, she smiled wriggling her tail from side to side as she dashed forward hugging Argus.
Yet, upon coming close... She realized a mistake she should not have done!
"Hehe I got you!" Curling his lips upwards as Argus took a stone-knife from his waist, he stabbed the Magindra in her chest!
"You..." The Magindra could only utter as she felt a tugging ache at her chest...
Argus is not content, he pierced his knife deeper and even twisted it, making sure to go for the kill!
.
.
.
...
The Magindra lost the fight, she was repeatedly stabbed with a ruggedly sharpened stone knife.
Like a madman that he had become, Argus had continuously pierced the Magindra as if possessed by a feral beast. He threw all of his frustrations, guilt that if he only had trained enough maybe his father could have trusted him and perhaps died together on that dreadful night.
On the day his parents died, the day when his village and his tribe burned into ashes was the day, a part of Argus has died.
No longer the naive kid who chased skirts, he vowed on that night to take revenge. He realized that in order to go forward, he could only be ruthless. Glory won't favor the weak! Only the strong shall take the glory.
.
.
.
...
Swimming back to the water's surface, he found it difficult to get up on the lake's shore.
He stared at the lake, a floating object is seen as he scoffed at it
"Hmph. Beauty? Who cares!"
That object was the lifeless corpse of the Magindra whom he had defeated. Unfortunately, he also realized that this place is just a foggy dream. All that happened is probably just an illusion.
He contemplated a bit before standing up, drenched in cold muddy waters, he wondered why he is still trapped inside.
But as he thought of this, his surroundings suddenly cascaded into a white blinding light.