The lake rippled.
At first it was small, almost invisible in the dim glow. Just the faintest tremor along the black water's surface. But Ravi saw it. He always noticed first.
"Move back," he muttered, pushing himself up on shaky arms. His body still ached from the current's beating, his ribs stabbing with every breath, but instinct screamed louder than pain. "Something's in there."
The other survivors followed his gaze nervously. Their eyes darted to the dark water, wide, frightened.
Arjun had already drawn his bow. His calm was a mask, but his body was tense, every line coiled like a bowstring.
The lake rippled again.
And then it rose.
A massive shape broke the surface first a scaled snout, then a head crowned with jagged spines. The water cascaded down a neck as thick as a tree, each scale glistening with faint blue light. Eyes like molten gold burned in the gloom, unblinking, ancient.
A dragon.
Not the kind from fairy tales with wings and fire, but something older, crueler. Its body coiled in the depths, too large to be fully seen. Only the ridged back and serpentine neck broke the surface, but even that was enough to dwarf the survivors.
System text flickered across their vision:
[Sub-Boss Encounter: Guardian of the Lake.][Objective: Survive the dragon's judgment.]
The survivors froze. Someone whispered hoarsely, "A dragon? That's not fair. That's not—"
The dragon moved. Its head dipped low, water surging around it. Then it opened its jaws.
Not flame light.
A golden beam lanced across the cavern, blinding, scorching. The survivors scattered, diving behind jagged rocks as the beam carved molten scars into stone. The heat washed over Ravi, searing the air in his lungs.
He hit the ground hard, pipe clattering beside him. His heart hammered.
Sun, he thought. Sun and scales.
The dragon's golden eyes swept the cavern, unhurried, merciless. Its jaws glowed faintly as it prepared another blast.
Arjun crouched beside him, bow in hand. His voice was low, sharp. "We can't kill it. Not like this."
"No kidding," Ravi muttered. His hands shook as he grabbed the pipe again. "So what? We just stand here and get cooked?"
Arjun's gaze flicked to the lake. "It's bound. The currents brought us here for a reason."
Ravi followed his eyes. The three glowing streams poured into the lake from the walls, feeding the beast. The water shimmered, pulsing faintly in rhythm with its scales.
"Three currents," Ravi muttered. "Not just rivers. Power."
The dragon's head turned toward them. Its jaws split wide, golden light building in its throat.
"Move!" Arjun barked.
They dove as the beam seared the rock where they had crouched. Shards rained down, hissing into the lake. The dragon roared, shaking the cavern.
The survivors screamed, scattering further, panic fraying what little order remained. Some ran for the tunnels. Others hurled rocks uselessly at the beast.
Ravi forced himself to his feet, chest burning. "We cut the currents," he realized aloud. "That's what keeps it alive."
Arjun nodded once. "Then that's our target."
The dragon roared again, tail thrashing in the depths, waves slamming against stone. Ravi staggered toward the first current, pipe raised. The water gushed from a fissure in the wall, glowing faintly. He swung hard, metal crunching into stone. Sparks flew, cracks spreading.
The fissure burst, spraying water wildly. The glow flickered.
The dragon shrieked.
Its golden beam faltered, jaws snapping shut. Its body thrashed, waves crashing, foam spraying.
"It's working!" Ravi shouted.
Arjun's arrow whistled, striking another fissure across the cavern. The glow dimmed further. The dragon howled, its massive head lashing from side to side.
The third current remained.
The dragon lunged, jaws snapping shut inches from Ravi. The shockwave sent him flying, his back cracking against stone. His vision blurred, ears ringing.
Through the haze, he saw Arjun. Calm as ever, even now. The archer stood tall, bowstring taut, arrow nocked. His gaze locked not on the dragon, but the fissure.
He released.
The arrow struck true.
The third current burst, water spraying. The glow drained from the lake, the light fading from the dragon's scales.
The beast reared back, roaring in agony. Its golden eyes dimmed, body thrashing violently. Waves rose like walls, crashing against stone, dragging survivors screaming into the water.
Ravi clawed for purchase, pipe jammed into a crack in the rock. The roar shook his bones, filled his skull, rattled his teeth.
And then, silence.
The dragon collapsed, its massive head sinking into the depths. The water stilled, the glow fading completely. Only ripples remained.
System text flickered:
[Guardian Defeated.]Reward: +1,500 Coins.]
Ravi lay gasping, soaked, trembling. His pipe slipped from his hands, clattering against stone.
Arjun stood nearby, bow lowered, face unreadable.
The survivors were fewer again. Too many lost to the waves, their screams still echoing faintly in Ravi's ears.
He closed his eyes, exhaustion crushing him.
But in the dark behind his lids, all he saw were golden eyes.
Eyes like the sun.