The lake's guardian had a spherical head where twelve tentacles originated, each was thick as logs, ending with three pointy claws. Its white skin was slimy in texture, like that of an octopus but smooth. The leviathan multiple tiny eyes were plastered on its rounded head, appearing as black dots on its milky surface.
Zyro, being nearby in a form of mists flowing above the burning lake saw its ghastly visage in front row sit. He also spectated as the guardian move one of its tentacles submerged in water, bringing it up with a dreadful swing. Flaming waters splashed towards the sky, aimed at the fleet above. Lunched by devastating strength, the fleet had little time to react before those it sprayed at them. Of course, those waters are not harmless at all. It was mixed with flammable fluids, so fire coexisted in those liquids. But the most threatening aspect it possessed was the frantic electricity circulation in those waters. If the lake electrocuting contents were already deadly enough when the dweller is slumbering, then an enraged guardian was far more terrifying.
Its powers were surging.
The Gricks started this conflict by sending a flaming rain of arrows on the peaceful lake. Now, the guardian fought back with a rain of its own. Countless droplets befall them, each drop carried heat and electricity. Some with strong flammable contents fell on the red wings of their airships, giving flames that fed on fabrics and woods.
There are unfortunate warriors that were touched by the droplets, too. They felt the pang of hot waters first, then excruciating electricity spread within them. Weak ones frantically convulsed before dying, tougher Gricks was paralyzed while others twitched in pain, but lived for now.
The fleet was suddenly thrown to chaos. Shipman's responsible for the airship maintenance was running here and there to extinguish fires on board. If those flames were left alone, it would devour the entire ship. Especially those on sails, because the wings are more susceptible to burning and serve a crucial role for the ship's flight. A few small aircrafts had already lost their wings and plunged below. Fortunately, each personnel has wings of their. Allowing them to fly onto other ships and put out fires on difficult places to reach.
But the situation on board was not pleasant. A few people were either electrocuted to death, convulsing heavily or paralyzed. Extremely unfortunate ones were burned. So everyone had grim expression on their face, afraid to be the next victim. The situation would have fallen into disarray if not thanks to the commanding shouts of officers that led their minds to reorder their strategical positions, moved the injured under the ship, tent to the airship damages and so on.
And that's just one swing. The guardian had many more in store.
It did not take long for another splash to come. However, the Gricks were no pushovers either. Shouts of commands were thrown, ordering the archers to aim their bows.
The casualties on the Gricks rose, but the guardian didn't go unharmed as a hundred arrows and spears planted themselves onto it's smooth body. Apparently, it's massive sized made it an easy target. However, it's skin are not easy to pierce. The Gricks fleet exchange fire with the lakes guardian, one sending flaming projectiles while the other unleashed hazardous waters into the air. The airships began shifting back to a new defensive formation to counter the abomination range, and used their superior reach against the guardian.
However, its no simple beast. Zyro had heard about monsters possessing intelligence comparable to people. Now, seeing the performance of such creatures was startling. Not only did they have monstrous bodies, but a divisive mind, too.
The guardian saw their intentions and began climb up the shore. Before uprooting trees and throwing it at the ship's above, followed by more rains of electrocuting droplets.
The thrown tree carried devastating force, it hit a poor vessel, shattering it at the moment of impact. Nearby aircraft were effective, too. By the flying debris of devastated airships.
The guardian attacks suddenly intensified, hindering them from backing up easily. Even without water, it found a way to counter airborne enemies instead of shrieking helplessly on teb ground.
Their fierce exchange continues, the greater they harm each other. The more vicious their attacks become.
Meanwhile, the instigator of this battle was forgotten by now because of the clash intensity. Dark mists that blended in the flames smokes suddenly head in one direction, wisps gathered into a thick, black fog at the lake center then condensed into a figure of the Fallen Knight.
With a sigh, Zyro steeled himself to face a battle of his own. The moment he materialize, his weight plunged in the flaming waters below.
Underwater, It was quiet and beautiful. Dreadful sounds of the fleet wars against a guardian can't enter here, making this place a haven of silence. The scene above where the previously calm surface was set ablaze by flaming arrows and dark fluids was strangely beautiful. Over there, the lake appeared like a sea of hell. But here, it was heaven. Bright colors of hollow flames danced above him, bringing heavenly light upon the underwater world below.
If only being here doesn't feel like hell.
When his body was fully submerged, Zyro did not feel the chilling coldness of the lake for he was protected by his suit that also supplied him with oxygen. He appreciated the breathtaking scene above, but that moment didn't last long. His eyes widened, feeling something cold in his right chest. Then, he felt it.
An excruciating agony coursed through his body, brought by electrocuting waters.
He curse.
'Duck! I thought this suit had elemental resistance!'
It did. However, after going through tough perils and blocking many blows for him without receiving any maintenance. Shroud of Night was bound to show some faults. Sure, it was created to withstand even the vacuum space, but everything has its limit. It may have served him perfectly in the venture within the Great Wall of Fog, where corrosive gas drowned space. However, here, where underwater pressure constantly assaults him like a heavy weight everywhere. His battered cybernetic armor finally displayed a crucial flaws.
For it was breached by electrocuting waters.
On his right chest was a torn plating, a damage left by his battle against the Blinker. It was a prided battle scar of his armor, because it's the testament of his triumph over the notorious monster. Sadly, it served as way for some waters.
'Damned that monster, hunting me from the grave?!'
He didn't really give it a proper burial, instead, he fed it on a puny slime. Which is really disrespectful for a creature of its caliber. Then again, why would he respect that baleful creature?
Still, the scar of their clash was agonizing at the moment. Makes him want to regret the day he killed the Blinker. Well, not really. Zyro would never regret that victorious day.
'Duck... how long will this last?'
Touching the lakes water for the first time back then was enough to jolt him back. Let alone, bathing under it while a small breach in his chest let waters crawl inside. Touched his skin by cool liquids, but also transferred overwhelming electricity to circulate in his entire body. The human body was not meant to conduct electricity, at all.
It felt like hell descended in him, he wondered if this is how death row prisoners felt when they sat on a electric chair. Actually, severe shock can resemble the agony of being rammed by speeding train. Heck, he didn't even know how his still alive.
Zyro did not really expect everything to be alright. Actually, there's high chance of failure due to uncertainties in his plan. For example, what if the guardian didn't appear, barrels not exploding or Gricks using new weapons. Still, he proceeded for it was his only way to escape this damned place on his own. He yearned to be free from Foggy Ring, forget the tragedy here and wander outside. In a vast world where greater opportunities await.
That's he knows right now. However, determination alone can't save him from this peril. His consciousness was starting to fade, be overwhelmed and swallowed by blinding torments. Strangely, his unable to do anything.
[Pain receptors are exceeding limit. Brain overload occuring! Initiating shutdown of sensory... Shutdown complete.]
The moment Aizra cut his pain sensory, he gained clarity. His mind was no longer blurred, making him realize that not much time had passed. Apparently, the agony overwhelmed him to the point his perception was blocked. He forgot the war occurring above him, the guardian threat and even thinking of ways to salvage the situation didn't come into his mind. Heck, Zyro wasn't even able to scream.
If not for Aizra quick response, his consciousness would be shocked dead by now.
Zyro shivered knowing how close to dying he is... But also a little disappointed.
However, he didn't have much time. Sure, he recovered his awareness thanks to Aizra's cutting his overloading pain preceptors. Which stopped it from sending a surge of warnings in his brain. Still, the threat remain and his body are resisting it. That said, an average human body can't survive long under so much electrical assault. Although, Zyro's own evolved to better type, it still wasn't meant to conduct electricity.
With his mind clear, Zyro concluded that his body can't withstand surviving here for long.
'I need to find that thing soon.'
Feeling nothing at all because of his enabled sensory, he turned on his helmet lights and dived deeper into the lakes depts. It was dark and ominous, unlike the waters above. He didn't know what other horrors swim at the bottom of this lake, but Zyro fought against the unease and keep swimming down in search for something. Whatever might attack him here, it didn't matter to him. Because sooner of later, his body would break down and die if he did not find it.
As if to prove his point, Zyro's unfeeling body began weakening. His limbs movements turn slower than his commands and his mind began to blur.
'Damn it, where is it?'
He asked again and again as he kept swimming in the bottom of the lake. It's dark, silent and full of jagged rocks buried in sands. His headlight were a radiant beam in this desolate deep waters.
Zyro were just about to lost hope when he saw a blinking red light in the distance. He propels himself forward, then stood on the sands.
Before him was a dark starship, laying flat on the sloped sands with its wings folded.
'Raven...'
Finally, he was reunited with his ship full of sophisticated technology and weaponry.