A pressure he felt once before settled on his shoulders. He couldn’t move a single muscle as his mind froze, incapable of comprehension.

A sharp pain struck his left eye. A gasp escaped his lips as the pain brought him back to his senses. It only lasted a split second, but it was enough to break the spell those two blue eyes had cast on them.

He glanced at the others as his hand reached for his earring. The air around the holding gem bent and twisted as the sword-spear appeared, falling into his hand.

Arwen’s eyes were wide open, and her face pale as a sheet of paper. The resonance of light she cast slowly faded away, drowning them in darkness aside from the blue and crimson glow of the blooming flower.

“By the daughter and the sun…” Willow’s whisper broke the charged silence, startling them. Her hands clutched the hilt of her rapier. The tip of its blade visibly shook – she was trembling.

“Gods, protect us.” Lonan’s voice was sharp. His fingers tightened around the chain hanging from his neck. “We must escape-“

A screech reached their ears, accompanied by a shockwave that blew sand away from the pair of blue eyes. The eyes rose up, and unnatural light shone, illuminating their surroundings – and the creature that belonged to someplace else.

It was a serpent, ancient and majestic. It’s scales had grown dark and had lost their lustre. Two pairs of gigantic branching horns decorated its head, jewels hanging from them. It was a serpent, much like the one Midhir barely killed in the temple above them.

It reared back, lifting its neck as high up as it could, then opened its mouth.

He glimpsed something blue – a glow – in its throat. “To me!” He shouted, reaching for his earring. The gold embossed wooden stake appeared in his palm, and he struck the ground with it.

Golden light shone from the stake as he felt his power drain. It shot up, then split into many lines, forming a barrier around the five of them.

Then, blue flames enveloped them. They melted the sand, turning it into a white, glossy glass. They assaulted the barrier over and over again, draining his spiritual power.

“What-“ Alistair’s shocked words were cut off by Willow’s sharp words. “Arwen, help him!” She shook Arwen’s shoulders, pulling her out of her daze. “Help him!” She repeated, pulling her towards the stake.

The young woman only hesitated for a split second before dropping her staff, and quickly placing her hand on the stake. “You can let go,” she whispered, shooting a glance at the slowly fading flames. “We are no match for that creature, we must escape!”

The serpent let out another ear piercing screech, startling them. It slithered towards them slowly. Watching it was like watching certain death coming to claim them.

Midhir tightened his grasp on the broken shaft of the sword spear. This creature was much larger than the one he barely killed. It truly felt like that stood no chance against it, but escaping simply didn’t seem like an option – it would surely catch them while they slowly floated up, back to the temple.

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“How?” he asked simply, not averting his eyes from the creature. Waves of blue and crimson light spread around them.

Arwen opened her mouth, but then closed it. She didn’t know – of course she didn’t.

Alistair took a deep breath, pointing the tip of his spear towards the creature. “Lonan, do you know anything at all about this?”

The historian’s eyes were closed as he still clenched the chain hanging from his neck. He shook his head, not saying a single word.

“Helpful,” Alistair snapped. He then glanced at the others. “This thing can’t be allowed to remain beneath Bareon – and beyond that, we won’t be able to escape while it lives.” He seemed hesitant as he paused. “This time, help won’t arrive.” He shot a meaningful glance at the stake.

Midhir’s chest tightened as he nodded. This time, there was simply no way to call for aid. They were too deep underground. He turned his gaze towards the serpent. They needed to kill it somehow, or at least wound it enough to escape. That was their only choice.

“Fighting is our only option.”

A smile flashed across the Orlein heir’s lips before he nodded once. “Indeed. I will the battle, Arwen, support us and keep this barrier functional. Willow, help me get closer to the creature, and you should stay back and use your fire-“

Midhir shook his head. “If anyone is staying behind, it should be you.” He walked past Alistair. “Willow – if you have to choose between pulling either of us to safety, pull Alistair. Bareon can’t afford to lose its future Lord.” With that said, he stepped out of the barrier without giving either of them a chance to protest.

Passing through it felt like passing under a bright beam of sunlight, only to be met with the cold air of whatever this place was.

With a deep breath, he summoned his courage, and took a step forward. Every fibre of his body wanted to turn around and run away – as fast and as far away from this creature as he could. Instead, he kicked the ground, and started running.

His mothers words were fresh in his mind – the Bareon Heir must survive, whatever the cost.

Winds caught up to him, lifting him up. A single glance over his shoulder showed him Willow tightly holding her rapier. The augment embedded in its pommel glowed brightly. Her resonance carried him forward, faster than he could have run himself. Behind, he saw Alistair trying to catch up.

The serpent reared its head once more, opening its jaw. Blue light glimmered in its throat as it prepared to breathe fire once more.

“Left!” Alistair’s shout reached his ears. The winds swerved, pulling him aside a split second before a stream of water broke off from the lake above, passing by him and hitting the serpent’s mouth.

A bright, golden beam of light followed the stream of water, hitting the creature’s eye.

It screeched once more, lowering its head to slither forward.

Alistair grunted as the gem embedded in the shaft of his spear glowed brightly. He pointed its tip at the creature with a fire in his eyes.

A chunk of water fell from above, crashing onto the creature’s head, forcing it further down. “Willow, its head!” Arwen shouted. Not a moment later, the winds changed directing, pushing him towards the creature.

He tightened his grasp on the broken shaft of the sword-spear. His spiritual power flowed into the metal, lighting up the white jewel embedded into where the blade and the shaft connected.

White light shone as the winds dropped him onto the serpent’s snout. His feet touched the scaly surface, and immediately he felt the winds leave him.

The creature’s gaze focused on him. They both stayed frozen for a split second – him in awe at the ancient being’s size, and it in shock at how he dared such a thing, probably. Then, he threw himself forward, towards its eye.

He fell on his knees as it tried to shake him off, but it wasn’t fast enough. He raised the sword spear over his head, then struck its eye with all his might.

A pained screech echoed as the creature’s body violently shook.

Without hesitation, he released his power into the white gem.