In the morning, we carefully examined the site of the battle. There were many hydras here, ranging from single-headed to seven-headed ones. Such diversity hinted at the considerable size of their nest.
We were lucky they didn't figure out a way to flank us. If that had happened, we wouldn't have had time to react.
The hunt went well, but there might have been even more of them in the lair, and time was running out. Only these two could provide the final clues to complete the unfolding picture.
"So, you've been here since last evening. How did you survive?" Without waiting for the end of breakfast, I began the interrogation.
"Well, we tracked you all the way to the city, but decided not to go inside to avoid blowing our cover. We set up camp not far from here, and during the night, they attacked us. The path to the city was cut off, and we had to run through the forest as fast as we could. They pursued us; I thought it was the end for us," Leira exchanged glances with her weapon-bearer.
"We should tell them; it might be important."
"There's a lake nearby, to the east from here," the girl pointed in the direction. "They stopped chasing us there."
"You must show us this place! It could be a key point in the whole swamp!" I urged.
The noblewoman averted her gaze and began muttering to herself, "Why... WHY?? I should be helping YOU!" She was angry, at me, at Katrina, and at her own helplessness. "I came here only to kill HER!" She pointed at the princess, and tension filled the air.
"But you don't wish death upon all those people in the city," Katrina was the only one who could challenge her.
"YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO SPEAK ABOUT THAT!"
"If you help us with this task, I'll agree to duel you to the death. Whoever wins will face the swamp monster next. That way, no shadow will be cast on your family."
"Lady Leira, don't agree to this; she's stronger than you," the swordsman tried to dissuade the girl from hasty actions.
"Silence! This is what I'm here for! This is what I live for! I'll kill her, and no one will stand in my way. If I have to fight the hydra to do it, then so be it!" Leira was furious, her long-cherished dream of revenge coming true.
"Your help won't be in vain. If you've agreed, then show us the lake."
The Sogildians remained silent; this unexpected encounter with new allies and enemies could disorient anyone.
From our campsite, the lake was only half an hour's walk away. Surprisingly, even from there, we could see the hill where the entrance to the lair was located. At night, of course, we couldn't have noticed it, but the distance to the entrance was quite short, and Ragni could fly there in a couple of minutes.
The lake was perfectly round and shallow, covered entirely with water lilies. In the center, there was a small island with a tree, connected to the shore by a narrow strip of land just above the water level. Along the lake's shore, huge boulders were scattered. The place looked peaceful, but it scared me.
"Wow, what a beautiful place," Katrina exclaimed, without considering the consequences, and ran toward the center of the lake, and we all followed her.
I tried to make out something under the water. The lake seemed shallow at first glance, but it was impossible to see the bottom. Something was clearly hiding there.
"This place frightens me," Ragni shuddered. "I sense something in the air, but I can't figure out what exactly."
"Grain, it's time to test the results of your training," I nodded to the earth mage. "Can you scan the ground?"
"Why did you train him?" Katrina was surprised by my unexpected statement.
"It's a useful skill - sensing the earth. Now I can scan the composition of the ground beneath my feet and even detect voids there," Grain answered the GM's question himself. He sat down on the ground and closed his eyes. "The lake is only two to three meters deep. But there are several deep pockets underground, possibly burrows of small animals."
"And do you see anything deeper?"
"Yes, I found something! At a depth of approximately ten meters, I see a large spherical chamber; it appears to be connected to the main network of tunnels."
"That's what I feared."
"Oh, I found it! I found it!" Kurone displayed a map of the swamp before us. "This is Lake Merenlake, named after it, the whole marsh is called. It seems to be considered sacred; monsters don't attack travelers here, and the lake is always calm and peaceful."
I noticed a faint glimmer near the shore.
"This place is far from sacred. What does it resemble to you?"
"A quiet harbor, a refuge for travelers?" Of course, Katrina was wrong; I threw my discovery to her.
It was a small golden bracelet with a ruby, and a red piece of fabric was snagged on it at one end.
"This is a huge bowl..."
The group fell silent, my statement distorting their joyful expressions.
"What do you mean?"
"Hydras bring the bodies of their victims here, both humans and animals. They dissolve in the mire at the lake's bottom. The chamber beneath the lake is their nest. The eggs are there, immersed in bloody goo seeping through the rocks, and that's what the offspring feeds on. And when they grow up, they attack the settlement in the center of the marsh."
A cold shiver ran down the spines of my companions.
"So, 'Merenlake' means 'Lake of Death'."