Chapter 112 The Everglade Circle (3)

"Sounds like a plan. It shouldn't be too deep." Lukas said.

"We can try it with a rock?" Chaerin picked up a pebble. "See how much it sinks–"

"No!" Ursa suddenly said. "Stay out of the water!"

Lukas who had been prepared to swim across suddenly halted. There was a terror in her voice that didn't fit the dominating figure of the woman–and it showed as she completely pulled Chaerin and Theodore back as well.

"What's the situation…?" Lukas didn't understand at all.

But for someone like Ursa, it was just like yesterday when a younger her had disturbed the waters and the snakes all came out. Demihumans, exactly like them but compared to Nievu and his siblings, they were far more venomous.

It wasn't them being part of the forest at all–they were their own entities.

Lukas watched Ursa paralyzed in fear, unable to say a word and he clutched his dagger tighter in his hand. What was it? Lukas thought that the moonlight reflecting off the clear waters was lovely.

Until he inspected it closer.

Something wriggled and coiled deftly across the water. It was a strong wave, but it didn't ripple on the surface at all and Lukas quickly came to a realization as to what was happening.

"I think you guys–actually, Chaerin you might want to head back. Um, Ursa can you help her back? I can take it over from here with Theodore." Lukas reassured the two women with a grin.

Or at least he tried to.

Theodore's gaze narrowed imperceptibly. "You're actually making me stay even without asking for my consent. This seems like something far more troublesome than you've bargained ourselves with."

"I know, but…" Lukas knew that the right choice was to run away. It had to be that–but there were at least two trump cards in his hand. The Dream Eater's stone and the Sanguise House dagger.

"You're as stubborn as most people come and go with." Theodore tsked.

"And I'm not going anywhere." Chaerin added and glared at him. "You just can't ask me to leave you behind."

"That's great and lovely." Lukas said. "Power of love is amazing, really, but I don't think that–"

A rock came flying right past him. Lukas felt the strength of the throw in that singular throw and the sharpness in Chaerin's gaze–it wasn't him who was the target.

The blue striped Lamia-like being's torso was torn open, but slowly coursed back all together as if it was made up of water. It didn't actually look like a demi human snake like Nievu at all.

"Dryad this, Dryad that–I've forgotten the chances of the water containing nature being too." Lukas spun on his heels and dove the dagger forward.

The metal did not pass through flesh at all but simply liquid.

Lukas dodged as another wave of water suddenly crashed out of the lake and attempted to drag him in. The peaceful Everglade Circle was starting to look more like a circle of death.

"Into the trees." Ursa called out and pulled Chaerin by the hand towards the trees.

"Hey, wait!" Chaerin tried to pull away to no avail.

"Out of its territory, Lukas!" Theodore shouted. He may have not trusted Ursa's words at first, but he immediately understood the reason for her actions and moved back.

Lukas gritted his teeth but drew back for a moment–nearing the trees and the mists, and soon he watched the entity of water hiss at him before it dissolved back into the waters.

"Could have warned us." Luaks sighed and threw a look at Ursa.

"Was about to."

"Okay, so the Dryad is sleeping, and I'm presuming that the water is also alive–maybe some kind of Water Nymph. Can change forms from that Lamia, the wave itself and potentially other things too. We got ourselves into a rather tight situation." Lukas sighed.

"Yeah…" Chaerin sighed and crossed her arms.

"Thanks for saving me back then, Chaerin." Lukas scratched the back of his head. It was easy for him to see the bad things that were going on, but it was also necessary that he showed his appreciation.

"Have we come to a reasonable conclusion then?" Theodore eyed the deceptively peaceful waters. "Something that involves leaving and not returning to this death zone?"

Lukas coughed. "I mean, we don't know if that's really the case–"

"Your blade did nothing." Theodore frowned. "It's all water–how are we supposed to defeat something like that? We're better off attempting to assassinate Cervus and then continue with our journey, I'd rather take my chances there."

"Now you want to consider it." Lukas sighed. "Wasn't it your idea to run away?"

"No. It wasn't." Theodore deadpanned.

"Right… but uh, let's just get our facts together. The Heart of the forest is supposedly asleep–and this water entity is covering it. Might explain why the forest isn't so wonderful to be at."

Ursa gave him a look.

"What?" Lukas said.

"You're right." Ursa muttered. "Everything's too foggy and dark. Makes people want to just kill each other."

"Well, we're not exactly sure about that, but I get the sentiment." Lukas laughed weakly and then eyed the distance between the nearest tree away from the lake and then the large tree.

"You're not thinking of jumping across are you?" Theodore eyed him.

"That's exactly what I'm thinking about, actually." Lukas grinned. That was how they got to the sandworm before, so it seemed like a rather solid plan. "Avoid the water, no problem right?"

"Who's to say that the heart of the forest is not hostile?" Chaerin bit on her lip. "I don't want you to risk it, Lukas."

"But that's a risk that I'm willing to take." Lukas said.

"Think about the other people who care about you." Theodore narrowed his eyes. "Don't rush off foolishly. You don't have that luxury."

Lukas grimaced. Usually, he was cautious and afraid of what the future had in store for him. He just wanted a good life with the people he cared about… but what had playing itself safe done?

The results were still the same.

Lily's life was in danger and the same had come to Chaerin from before as well. Lukas rested his hand against the tree's trunk and pursed his lips.

"Just one attempt, and if it doesn't work–let's go with your idea, Theodore."