Some say that a group of adventures once defeated Destiny. For the first time since the beginning of times. It was a group formed by a dragon, a dwarf and a human. As a reward for such a rare achievement, the entities came together to gift them a wish, jointly granted by the forces that rule over the entire universe.

And the wishes were made.

The dragon asked for infinite amounts of gold, since it is from gold that a dragon’s soul feeds. That way, he could live in peace for as long as he wanted. They gave him a stone that turned anything into gold.

The elf asked for immortality, so that she could enjoy all the benefits of life, without worrying about getting old and dying. Because it was such a big request, it was granted partially: From that point on, old age could never kill the elf.

The dwarf asked for knowledge in all the arts, so that she could live her life to the fullest, tasting the extremes that life could offer her. She was given larger and skilled hands, capable of molding any shape, carrying any tool and handling any weapon.

The human, however, was the one who brought the most surprising wish to the entities. As a reward for the victory over Destiny, the human wanted to be free from the influence of that entity, to choose his own paths in the life that he would live from that point on.

To the human was given hope. It is not known, even today, if the wish was granted or if the gods, insulted by the wish, decided to punish the whole human race.

Stories to Read Around a Campfire – Luanne Vieira Flores

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Lake Martha is the largest lake in the world. Its length is large enough that an observer cannot see from one end to the other even using watchtowers. A boat traveling at full speed it would eventually be surrounded by water, with no sight of land on either side.

An attack in the meantime would be enough to bewilder even trained soldiers if they were not properly prepared. A quick attack to destroy half of the ship in a single swing would send many of those soldiers to despair.

These is what happens in the ship. The attack is strong enough to crash the vessel and it deafens Arthur for a few seconds. The support provided by the vampire is solid, but she herself seemed stunned after looking around and noticing the destruction caused by the monster.

What was left of the boat was thrown away with impetus. The wave that formed pulled some of the wounded soldiers towards the water and, even before their fate could be regretted, they could no longer be seen anywhere.

Sailors run in all directions. Upon seeing the monster for the first time, they tried to save anything of value. However, after the first attack, the goal changed and now their lives were the only priority.

The soldiers, once organized, now had difficulties even to understand where they were. Barsen, Gasser and a handful of others were the only ones with enough fortitude to grab bows and arrows and launch a ranged attack. The ogre’s real desire was to launch himself at the monster and use his ax, but the distance would not allow it.

Standing in the center of what was left of the ship, Rinlia tried, with all her strength, to repel the eel, which now turned its attention to the small boats in which some of the soldiers and passengers had taken shelter and were desperately trying to row away from the monster. The elf, using both hands, made a Herculean effort to use her wind magic and lift pieces of the wreckage off the water, using them as projectiles towards the eel.

Those who managed to get into the boats paddled at full speed, however, the length of the lake was too large to allow any hope of escaping that way. The side closest to the coast was to the right of the main ship – and even that side was far and had no sign of civilization. Not even the hope that reinforcements would arrive could be fueled by the sight of that piece of land.

Rinlia felt her strength wane by the second. She tried to use magic beams on the beast, however, the surroundings were full of survivors and the water could drive some of the magic towards them, causing even more deaths than those caused by the monster’s initial attack.

-Run! Everybody! Run!

The order given by the elf is immediately obeyed by the sailors who were on the ship. The sight of a monster that big is too much for the minds of men used to living their daily lives fishing and transporting passengers on the lake shore. The biggest threat they had seen before were hostile animals that escaped the Great Forest borders and threatened villages.

The eel throw itself over the boats with the wounded from Fiandel’s army. The elf, unable to do anything to help them, sees her soldiers sinking without any hope of repelling the monster’s attack.

One after the other.

How long since the attack started? Five minutes? Ten?

How many are dead in such small amount of time?

-Run! If you want to live, flee in all directions, to confuse the monster!

The order is given by her mouth, but she herself takes no action to say those words. Her hands release magic rays, regardless of casualties, although her mind is reluctant to do the same. She has no option other than trying to delay the monster.

The beast looks troubled by the magic, but in no way it seems hurt. After sinking another boat, it dives into the lake and disappears into the waters. Its magic camouflages it after submerging, erasing all traces of its presence.

Two boats filled of soldiers and sailors were sunk. Ten soldiers who would not rise to the surface. Ten families that lost valuable members in a mission that shouldn’t involve any battle other than a few highwaymen and some small monsters.

And a mission that should have suffered one or two losses just turned into a battle where almost half of those under her command drown before the commander’s eyes.

A commander who hears her own heartbeat explode in her ears and her magic pulsates in her hands.

The remains of the large ship leans towards the lake’s waters. Those who failed to climb onto the deck before the attack, now scream in despair, sinking even before they could be seen.

Rinlia turns to the bow and sees the soldiers throw themselves overboard. Yvanna remains on the hull, waiting for her commander, with Arthur on her shoulders and leaning on the ropes of the mast to so they would not fall due to the violent movements of the ship.

-Is there no boat to put him on?

-No, Commander. – The answer is given by Thiago, who returned alongside the other two. – The ones that remained just sank during the monster’s attack.

-What is he doing? – Rinlia asks, pointing to Arthur, who mumbles a few words. – Get him out of here before it’s too late.

-He said to me that he felt something and asked me to wait as long as possible before leaving the boat. – Yvanna replies. – I wanted to wait for you, so I agreed.

-Did he feel something? What-

-I think I can help. – Arthur opens his eyes and seems to be surprised by Rinlia’s presence. – What, what happened? Where is it?

-The monster? – Yvanna steps forward. – He disappeared a few seconds ago. I think we better get out before he comes back.

-No. – The boy shakes his head. – He didn’t disappear. I am still feeling that energy.

-Energy?

Arthur shakes his head at Rinlia’s question. There is not enough time for him to explain that, after he recovered from the initial shock of seeing the monster, he felt something very familiar in his chest. Something he felt inside the prison and, this time, came to him without the boy having to take any initiative.

It was the same river that he found under his feet in prison. The same kind of power, but in a much greater amount than before.

It is like a river, which it can flow in another direction. A river that he can make flow in his own direction, as he did with the incorporeal.

-We don’t have time for that. – Rinlia fires, pointing to the bow of the ship. – We have to get out of here soon!

The presence of the monster’s magic appears again, now below the ship. Its body swim under the water, passing under the bodies of sailors and soldiers, choosing a point next to one of the most distant boats and rising at once. The boat capsizes and the wave resulting from the monster’s movement is enough to make disappear several sailors who swam desperately over the waters of Lake Martha.

-I need to get close to him. – Arthur speaks, reluctantly. Despite the injured face, it is possible to see that he himself wants to reject the idea in his mind.

-Have you gone crazy? – Yvanna fires, pulling him towards the bow. The vessel is at a forty-five-degree angle, sinking slowly. – If you try to get close to that thing, you will die!

-If we do nothing, we will all die. That monster is trying to sink everyone, don’t you see?

-And what do you want to do? Is your friend around to help you?

Rinlia looks around and is surprised to realize that, for a moment, she wished to see an incorporeal nearby. It is the first time that she feels something remotely similar.

-I can take the monster’s energy. – He answers. – If I can touch it, I can weaken it enough for others to escape.

The boy points to the left of the ship, where several groups are heading to the coast.

-This is a bad idea.

Rinlia looks around. There is no one left on the ship, except for them. Even Barsen joined Gasser and some men who jumped in the direction of the shadow in the waters, with weapons in hand to try and hurt the creature.

The eel, after sinking another group of survivors, quickly navigates the waters, making a circle around everyone. The sound of movement is loud enough to alert everybody, and from the vicinity, Barsen’s screams of challenge stand out above everything else.

The elf looks at Yvanna’s face and then at Thiago. Neither of them says anything, but it is clear that they share her opinion: That IS a bad idea.

However, nobody seems to have a good one. And waiting until a new idea arrives can give the monster enough time to cause more deaths.

-Can you really do that?

-His look is the same as when they had the conversation at the Dan-the-lion Inn. Beneath the wounds he has that expression that she thought it was interesting.

It is the look of someone who does not retreat after noticing the odds of dying.

-I can do it.

There is no time to lose. At that moment, the creature ends its circle and its shadow is projected on the surface, rising and looking over the waters, searching for targets.

The part of the ship that has not yet sunk is standing between the monster and the survivors. From where they are, Yvanna, Rinlia, Thiago and Arthur are facing the monster of the lake. Behind them, the survivors swim. On the left, within sight, are the lands of the Great Forest and, to the right, there is water, as far as the eye can see.

-Let’s go. – The elf takes the arm of the boy who had been leaning on Yvanna. – I will use my magic to take you to the monster. After we’re on its back, you need to do your trick alone, because I don’t have enough magic for any attack that could hurt a creature this big.

-Commander! – Yvanna protests. – You need to stay safe. Let me take him.

-Stop. – Thanks to her pride, the elf’s voice does not tremble. She did not want her subordinates to notice her fear. – You and Thiago must stay nearby. You will be our backup.

-But-

-Yvanna! – The vampire’s eyes widen after hearing her name shouted by the elf.

There would be no need to say anything else. The red-haired vampire looks at the brown-haired human and the two prepare to jump into the lake and stay as close to the action as possible.

Rinlia carries Arthur so they both can step on the mast of the ship, that, at this point, is almost horizontal – while sinking along with the ship.

Ahead of them, the monster’s shadow approaches, underneath the water, swimming under the surface with a slow movement.

-Are you ready? – She looks at him one last time.

-I cannot swim. – He answers. – So, please, don’t let go of my hand.

The elf nods and runs her hand around the boy’s waist. Using the elves’ innate agility and her wind magic to make their bodies lighter, she runs over the length of the mast, towards the farthest point of the ship’s hull, over the waters of the lake.

Nearby, only Thiago and Yvanna watch the spectacle that follows:

Arthur, entwined by the elf’s arm, is carried in her jump and, for a moment, they “fly”, guided by the wind magic that carries them towards the waters, where the figure of a huge monster emerges, with its open mouth, as if it sensed their approach.

The wind magic allows an experienced magician to make some movements in the air – and that is exactly what happens. With the calculated movement of the gusts of wind, Rinlia launches themselves to the left, them to the right. During the maneuvers, she draws her sword with her free hand.

The moment they get close enough, she puts her sword into the body of the beast. The size of the creature is large enough for the sword to do as much damage as a needle to a human, however, it provides enough support for the elf to be able to stand on the side of the monster’s body.

Arthur, despite feeling all his recent wounds burn in pain due to the sudden movements, starts to act as soon as he perceives himself in the creature’s body.

-Quick, before the monster dives again! – Rinlia shouts, ignoring her own pain after so much effort.

He waves and immediately uses his free hand to reach the pearly torso. And, when he reaches it, he is immediately overwhelmed by the enormous amount of energy coming from the creature.

However, the movement had begun. He himself, after coming into contact with the “river” of the monster, felt as he would be unable to change its course again. This one is even stronger than the others.

Vital energy fills every cell in Arthur’s body. The force that invades him is big enough to overload his interior and makes his torso feels like it is about to break with the absolute power that passes through him.

Those that watch the situation in the middle of the still waters of Lake Martha, waiting for an opportunity to escape, are not able to see, in the distance, the two bodies standing over the big monster.

However, even though they do not see, they feel a chill. A primitive instinct, indicating that something is happening. They notice the power that is getting out of the creature and see, in the distance, that the shadow no longer seems so concerned with the creatures on the lake’s waters.

The giant eel turns its attention entirely to the two creatures on its torso. The energy that is withdrawn from its body causes a sharp pain in the beast, which immediately tries to fight, writhing its body and trying to drive the attackers away.

Rinlia, despite not having enough magic to attack, manages to use her magic on the weakened monster. It is enough to prevent them from being crushed by the repeated blows that are thrown at them.

Arthur struggles to withstand the energy that invades him, but, after a while, ends up releasing it out of his own body. He doesn’t pick it up anymore. Once he feels overwhelmed, he sends the beast’s energy in all directions, letting it scatter around.

The giant eel feels threatened – for the first time since it started its attack. In an attempt to recover, she rocks her body violently and then protrudes back into the waters, looking for the bottom of the lake, where it would recover before coming back.

The last swing of its body, however, is violent enough to make Arthur’s body lose contact. Rinlia, attached to him by her own arm, is pushed and both of them are thrown towards the waters.

The monster dives into the lake.

Arthur, realizing that he is going to be under water, holds on to Rinlia’s arm and collects in his lungs all the air that he can gather.

It is only right before reaching the water that he realizes that it was not only the eel’s strength that was absorbed by his powers.

The elf he was holding until now has her eyes closed, completely unconscious when they both come into contact with the waters.

*

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