Gonar and Leviathan

"A Piscian?"

The blue figure nodded. His head was diamon-shaped, with two sets of fin-like structures sticking out, forming ears. There seemed to be no eyes.

"What's a Piscian doing in the middle of the forest?" questioned Jason, eyebrow raised.

"Why," came that mystic, watery voice, "I live by the lake at the heart of the forest."

"The lake?" Elfin silently asked himself. That must have been why the river flow stopped so suspiciously.

After a few quick introductions, Jason and Elfin followed Neptune to the large lake. It was many yards wide and beautifully clear. Neptune dived in, and Jason was about to follow suit when Elfin stopped him.

"Piscians never invite other's to their home."

"I know. I suspect a trap too," replied Jason.

Elfin's expression was one of confusion. Throughout their many weeks together, he had learnt to trust the young man, but this was way too risky.

"You know what Piscians do to prisoners right?" Elfin whispered into his ear. Jason nodded, and jumped in. Sighing, Elfin dived as well.

*** *** ***

The cool water hit them like a refreshing breeze. Elfin cast an underwater spell to allow them to breathe in water. Meanwhile, Neptune was waiting just below the surface, signalling them to follow.

Jason felt himself unable to move. He had read about Piscians before, but this was amazing! The lake went in so deep that darkness clouded the depths of it. Beautiful, giant bubbles housed the many glowing bodies of blue. The bubbles circled a center bubble which was far bigger than the others. It was green and blue and gold all at the same time.

"That," said Neptune, obviously seeing Jason staring in awe at the bubble, "is the Power Sphere. It keeps the homes of the Piscians alive."

"Why'd you bring us here?" Elfin asked, his voice nearly lost in great awe.

Before he could get his reply, a pair of Piscians swam towards them, grabbing their wrists. Both Jason and Elfin, shocked at the sudden change of situations, tried to struggle, but underwater, their bodies were not as agile. The Piscians had obvious advantage.

"What're you doing!?" roared Jason, the underwater spell allowing his voice to travel even in the water. Jason trashed, but topped, eyes wide with horror as his sword was ripped out of its holster and thrown into the dark depths of the sea.

If he hadn't been bound, Jason would have punched his way through the Piscian holding him. Elfin was luckier, for he hid his staff in his Inventi before placing an invisibility spell upon it. If it meant any comfort to either of them, Neptune had also been bound.

*** *** ***

"Aquaea, quos quion kloree?" (My Lord, what's the meaning of this?) Neptune questioned frantically, trying his best not to shout. After all, they were in the king's personal bubble.

"Neptune, quintas gloo sree?" (Neptune, why the outsiders?) snapped the king. His crown of color-changing corals glowered in the light his translucent body emmitted. His voice was like thunder.

"Kloquomo, Aquaea...hilquoo..." his voice trailed off, and he kicked off with his legs towards the king, wanting to whisper. The guards made a move to grab hold of him, but the king waved them off with his hand.

"What the hell are they saying?" spat Jason. Elfin raised an eyebrow and shook his head in response.

The little private conversation had ended, and the king ordered his guardsmen to cut the weed that bound the three captives. Jason rubbed his wrists; the weeds were not at all pleasant to touch.

"My friends from the surface, Neptune here has told me of your amazing fighting skills. I have a little...proposition," said the king, his voice echoing through the whole bubble. He had paused to hestitate before the word "proposition".

"I sorta knew that was coming," Elfin muttered cheerily to Jason, who snorted sarcastically.

"We Piscians, have a little 'aquolem'--meaning, problem--and we were wondering if you brave warriors would accompany dear Neptune here to settle it," the king announced. At this, Neptune spun round to face his ruler, saying something that sounded like 'huh'.

"What's in it for us?" Jason, eyes always on the prize, jumped on the oppurtunity. Beside him, Elfin rolled his eyes.

Bursting with a baritone laughter, the king gasped, "Let's just say, if you don't agree to it, we have a torture bubble that hasn't been used in a long while!"

"That sucks..." murmured Jason disappointedly.

*** *** ***

They were led to a different bubble by several guards. Jason realised that the guards held spears and had green sashes tied around their waist. Neptune was rubbing his temple, obviously realising that his little deal with the king had backfired.

Lined against the curving walls of the bubble were weapons of every kinds: axes, swords, hammers, whips, spears and Piscian tools neither Elfin nor Jason recognised.

"Suit up, and prepare for the battle of a lifetime," ordered the guard, before giving out a laugh of sadistic humour.

"Battle?" Elfin turned to question Neptune. "Just what did you tell that king of yours?"

When Neptune didn't reply, Jason slammed him against the wall, causing an axe to fall onto the ground in a clutter. Elfin didn't stop the enraged man, and Neptune didn't bother to struggle.

"In the depths of this lake we live in, a horrible serpent dwells. It's called Gonar, and it's said to be unstoppable."

Jason's expression wavered.

"We're gonna face something unstoppable?" His hands dropped from Neptune's chest, and he sank onto his knees in despair. Before he even got to take a hit at Griephon, he was going to die.

Moments later they left the bubble and were brought through a dark cavern. Magical energies danced around it, somehow stopping the water pressure from crushing their lungs.

The guards left them there, and swam away fast. Elfin had his staff with him, Neptune his Dragon's Torch and Jason a longsword. He had picked it out from the weapon's bubble and it was much heavier than his magical scimitar.

All of a sudden, the earth shook and the cavern's walls seened to shriek, heralding the coming of something very, very powerful.

From the seabed burst forth a gigantic creature that resembled a sand worm, except it had flippers and a segmented body. It's jaws were lined with feet-long teeth and bone-crushing mandibles protruded from the side of its mouth. The creature--Gonar--didn't have eyes, for it didn't need them. The cavern, besides the small beams of blue light the walls emmitted, was devoid of light source.

Immediately after Gonar had emerged, the three unlucky souls sent to face it swam away, trying to get a better opening for attack. Jason dropped his heavy weapon and cursed loudly in frustration. The battle had already begun.

Elfin, staff high above his head, shot sharp blocks of ice at the beast, which howled irritably. It lunged for the mage, but Elfin was prepared.

Gonar let out another anguished howl as it's left mandible broke in two; it had gone straight towards a force field. Not wanting to let this chance slip by, Neptune took out his tool, only to realise that fire couldn't really work underwater.

"ARGH!" screamed Elfin in agony. Gonar had slammed its powerful tail at the force field, breaking it and sending the mage into a spasm.

Without his sword, Jason was useless in the battle, and Neptune didn't seem to be doing so well either...or did he?

A bright halo of white light suddenly engulfed the cavern. Jason spun round to see Neptune burning with intense energy, his Dragon's Torch between his stretched out palms. Gonar, sensing the warmth of the light, stopped its attack to turned to face the sudden outburst of magical energy.

A deafening roar was then unleashed, and whatever energy was building up inside Neptune exploded in yet another halo. Everything stopped, even Gonar. Jason felt his breath leave him.

The roar came again, and, in the same way as Gonar had, a powerful and awe-inspiring beast exploded from the ground. The waters swirled and Jason was thrown back into a stone wall, his armour saving him from a broken back. A red glow caught his eye from the bottom of the wall. He swam down to pick up his trusty sword, turning just in time to see what other monster had erupted into battle.

It was a dragon, a water dragon. Of the many dragons in the world, there were five most talked about. Overlord King of the Wind, Skyguard King of the Skies, Incendius King of Fire, Patronus King of Light and Leviathan King of the Seas. This was the fifth.

It let out its defeaning roar, a roar that gave Jason courage. He didn't notice, nor remember, what happened next. All he knew was that the next minute, he had his sword buried deep within Gonar's body. The creature tumbled onto the seabed, causing the sand to swirl and shimmer in the glow of the waters.