Riley winced as her body smacked against the water with a deafening crack. He wanted to jump after her, but would that help? That was a risk he couldn't afford, she wasn't his only teammate. He could only trust her skill and resilience.
The lantern shone with brilliance, drinking up another third of his dread core. And a crooked smile carved into his cheeks as the beast emerged once more.
Lucy dangled from its tail, grip still tight on the spear and a defiant smile on her face.
"You'll have to try harder than that to kill me, you damned snake!!"
She howled as her hands smashed into the scales but it left no damage. Still, the beast seemed angered by the bug latched onto it.
Riley dashed through the cavern. His blades carved a chunk of flesh that unloaded Lucy and sent her tumbling onto the ground near him.
The water serpent retreated into another obsidian disk with a cloud of mist.
Lucy groaned, clutching her side while Yara helped her up. Dari and Riley stood back to back, waiting for the creature to emerge from the great pool of water again.
"Do you have something to say to me?"
Riley didn't this wasn't a moment to question Dari, but if his teammate was uncooperative then it could lead to problems.
"Why would you think so?"
Dari bit back a shout.
"You've been looking at me funny the whole day-"
The serpent emerged in that second. Not from the Great Lake but behind them. It pushed them into the water, threatening to swallow them with its great maw.
Water flew in the air like a geyser from the impact. Riley clung onto the side of the cliff, holding on Dari with his spare hand.
"Thanks."
Attached with a bitter smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.
The water boiled and bubbled as the beast swirled in the depths. Only its eyes allowed an opportunity to see its trajectory, but even then it was hard due to the distortions.
Riley threw Dari back up onto the ledge and followed him. Lucy had managed to recover though she still clutched her side.
"There is a much larger obsidian disk at the bottom of the lake."
Riley took his time to ponder the new information. Did that change the plan? No, but his outlook on winning was slightly altered.
"It can travel between reflections. Or at least, I think so."
Riley walked toward the obsidian disks and smacked his blade against it. A web of cracks formed before the entire surface crumbled into hundreds of shards.
"AOUGHHHHHHH"
The beast roared and leaped from the water, crashing against the ground and flailing its tail around. Stone cracked beneath its massive weight, knocking the cohort down.
Riley ducked beneath its tail and impaled his blade into its spine. Paralyzing the beast momentarily.
"Now!"
All four leapt onto the beast and cut at its massive body, chopping away until the tail fell into the water.
The serpent retreated with its injured form. Its aquatic depths held many mysteries, one of which was what sort of powers it would grant the beast. Riley hoped it would not allow it to regenerate.
"The fight should get a little easier from now on. We know it's not unkillable at least."
Lucy stepped forward, clutching to her spear for support.
"How do you know we can kill it? It took four of us to chop off a bit of that sushi roll's tail."
Riley stepped forward and looked down over the edge. Then turned back to face them.
"Even God's bleed."
The beautiful blue water had turned into a murky red that only amplified the serpent's yellow glint. It swam lazily, not rearing its head up from the depths for a reason Riley assumed was injury.
He used this opportunity to go around and smash as many obsidian disks as he could manage. Each break forced a stronger quake in the cavern, but the creature remained below the water.
Lucy had smashed several, Dari and Yara a couple more. And it totalled to fifty disks smashed.
Riley returned to the centre where he could see the serpent glaring at him defiantly. A trickle of something he had not gotten to feel yet breached his core. Making him kneel.
"Shi-t is that The Will?"
The creature was far more powerful than Riley would have imagined to face if it possessed a Will.
"What's wrong Riley?"
Lucy helped him up and splashed some water on his face.
"Thanks. This creature is easily of the Fallen kind."
Just hearing that made the air thicken with doubt. They were strong, but the beast was beyond that. They were smart, but the creature was far more wise than them.
Riley knew they were feeling demotivated, and so was he. But this was how they would die, and another death could not occur on his watch. He couldn't bear it.
His blades flickered in the blue light of the cavern. Blood soaked bangs stuck to his face, and his green eyes had a sharpness unbefitting of an office worker.
"Leave. I'll handle the beast myself."
Lucy burst into laughter, patting her older brother on the shoulder.
"As if! We are here to kill a monster, and we can't let you have all of the glory."
Yara jumped up excitedly. Despite her fear that constantly filled his core, she was not one to back down.
Dari however. He did not speak. Riley didn't expect him to, only to silently follow out of bitterness.
"Then I will lead. Break the mirrors and allow me to grab the beast's attention."
They nodded in unison before splitting off and running to break the remaining disks. Smashing them one by one in quick succession, only increasing the oppressive aura of the serpent.
"Eyes on me fuck face. Touch my squad, and your life is forfeit."