Without saying the words we already knew what we were about to do. Sky summoned her dagger back into view, while Hassan's sword materialized in his grip. With cautious steps, they both advanced toward the river, moving as if they believed they were hidden from sight.
However, the creature continued to dart about with its remarkable speed, leaving me to wonder how Sky or Hassan could catch up to it.
As soon as their feet made contact with the river's surface, the mysterious creature slipped beneath the water, vanishing from sight.
Undeterred, both of them remained hunched over at the water's edge, their gazes fixed intently on the gently flowing current, and their eyes scanned for any subtle movement that might betray the presence of another passing creature and offer a chance at securing a much-needed meal.
I observed from a short distance behind them, my gaze fixed on their actions, filled with a sincere hope that their efforts would result in obtaining something for us to quench our hunger.
In a sudden burst of action, the creature that had previously submerged itself emerged from the water with a powerful lunge, its form utterly unrecognizable compared to the diminutive being we had observed just moments before.
The illusion of the creature's smallness stemmed from its tiny head, which featured two elf-like ears on its sides and two closely spaced, wide green eyes.
Positioned just beneath the eyes was a tiny aperture that unexpectedly expanded, revealing a nightmarish arrangement of pointed teeth. These teeth formed two circular rows, with the first row being larger and more pointed than the second, creating a truly unsettling sight.
The creature possessed a lengthy and slender neck, reminiscent of a serpent's body, but instead of leading to a uniform form, it gave way to a body that widened at specific intervals. These expansions formed two sets of limbs, each culminating in ominous, elongated claws that radiated a sense of terror.
In a lightning-fast motion, the creature surged forward, its velocity so rapid that I struggled to keep pace. It targeted Sky and Hassan, extending its claws in a menacing attempt to tear them into pieces.
However, Hassan's swiftness matched that of the creature's assault. With a fluid leap, he shot up into the air, swinging his sword and engaging in a clash mid-flight. The airborne struggle was a blur of sword strikes, an intricate dance of combat. Neither the creature nor Hassan possessed the ability to sustain flight, so their ascent was inevitably followed by a descent as gravity reclaimed them.
The water granted the creature an advantage, enabling it to move with a faster speed once it plunged back into the river, swiftly surrounding Hassan.
"Hassan!" I screamed, my voice laced with fear and desperation as he disappeared beneath the surface of the water.
Trapped by my inability to swim, I was rendered helpless, and Sky stood frozen in shock, immobilized by the unfolding events.
In that dire moment, the only option that seemed available was to attempt to transfer my consciousness into the creature, aiming to make it easier for Hassan to defeat it; assuming he was still alive.
However, my attempt yielded no results; I didn't find myself in the vast darkness that proved my proximity to the creature's head.
Instead, I stood there, trembling under the weight of the unfolding events, haunted by the memories of the encounter with the king of the Blizzardkin clan, an unrelenting loop playing out in my mind.
In an abrupt turn of events, a massive surge of dark energy erupted from the water's surface, propelling us backward and causing us to crash onto the ground with a jolt that threatened to break our backs.
The explosion was followed by the emergence of a dark matter sphere from the water, and then a remarkable sight unfolded.
More than dozens of creatures from the Blizzardkin, all of them ranked as hunters, hovered out of the water, rising into the air. Their tapered ends facilitated swift movement in the water, although not on par with the strange creature Hassan fought against.
Amidst the commotion, one of the creatures of the Blizzardkin hauled the mysterious creature from the water, revealing an unmarred body devoid of claw marks or injuries.
How they had managed to defeat it remained a mystery, as did their very presence there.
As the creatures of the Blizzardkin left the strange creature behind, they converged around the dark matter sphere that had landed a short distance from the river.
An influx of questions echoed through my mind, baffled by their sudden appearance and the inexplicable demise of the creature.