"Welcome to Mad Fish Lake".

Eric stared at the sign, then at the big empty hole in the ground behind it. Well, not quite empty, there was a series of strange looking fish flapping around. Instead of the usual round fully open eyes, these fish had half closed eyes, with what looked like fat hairless eyebrows giving them an incredibly angry expression, not that anyone would blame them, given their current situation. In the middle of the dry lake was a massive lilly pad, with a frog that was roughly the size of a house cat sat in the middle, occasionally the frog would attempt to snap up one of the fish, but every time it pulled one close enough it got a wet slap across its face, allowing the fish to break free of its grasp. Uruk moved up next to him.

"What now?"

Eric ran a hand through his hair shaking his head.

"There are a few puddles, but I don't think there is 6 barrels worth, we are going to need to find another water source."

At that particular moment, a fish who had somehow managed to flap it's way up the side of the empty lake arrived at Uruks feet, it flapped a couple more times, stopped, then somehow lept right up in the air slapping him across his face with its tail.

"Arghh, you little..."

Uruks response was immediate and brutal, stamping his foot down upon the offending fish he squashed it flat, a jet of water shot from its mouth forming a small puddle just a couple of inches away, this particular fish it would seem, had slapped its last face (his name was Blubbles, in case you're wondering). There was a loud croaking noise comming from the lake, the party all looked towards the frog who seemed to be shaking a fist at them. They ignored it however in favour of looking across the entire lake, there were a lot of fish, and they all seemed to be rather plump.

"If I may sir, there may be enough fish to fill the barrels here."

Eric briefly looked at Astrid who had moved to stand at his other side, once again running his hand through his hair.

"Its going to take a long time to squeeze all them out, but I think you're right, and I don't know of any other nearby water sources."

"Best bring out the barrels so we can get started then"

"How?"

"You didn't get the tutorial?"

"I learned how to loot a kill, but I never learned how to access what I looted"

"Checking....Hmm it would seem that you are correct, sending you the information now, also as compensation for the upcomming headache I will fill one of the barrels for you."

"Gahhh"

Eric fell to his knees, a strange and painful crackling sensation filled his head as a load of information on how to manage his inventory filled his mind, a few other bits of information about how to activate skills along with a series of other utilities including the party leader interface and how to analyze enemies for their strengths and weaknesses. Then as quickly as it came it stopped, his mind now awash with new information ready to be put to use and practiced. Fred placed a hand on his shoulder.

Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

"Are you ok?"

"Yeah, just a bit of information overload, give me a second."

With Fred and Astrids help he got to his feel, held his hand out in front of himself and concentrated, 5 empty wooden barrels appeared in front of them.

"Wheres the 6th?"

Uruk inquired.

"Already full...compensation for the missing tutorials, and the headache."

"Okay then"

Uruk marched forward into the pit grabbing a fish by its tail and slapping its head into the ground untill it stopped moving, he then turned and tossed the unconscious fish towards Eric who proceded to squeeze its water into one of the barrels. Astrid joined him in the collection while Fred held back to help Eric empty the fish water into the barrels. Several fish later the frog was now hopping mad,literally, its head had turned bright red as it jumped up and down on its lilly pad slapping its clenched hands on the pad whenever it landed. The party continued to ignore it until its tongue sprang out of its mouth slapping the side of Uruks face with a loud cracking sound leaving behind a deep cut.

"Gahhh"

Uruk placed his hand on his cheek where he had recieved the sudden tongue lashing, when he pulled his hand away it had blood on it.

"STOBBIT....NOWW!!!"

"YOU LITTLE SHIT!"

A deep red haze surrounded Uruk, his massive axe appearing in his hands he charged towards the frog aiming to cleave it in two, the nimble frog however just hopped to the side dodging the blow, jumped back in the air to do a spinning roundhouse kick at the side of Uruks head knocking him back a couple of steps. As unexpected as the kick had been what happened next was even less expected, it landed face down on top of one of the fish, catching it in its mouth and swallowing it down, the party then watched as the frog grew to roughly the size of a medium dog, it grinned at them.

"STOBBIT.....LEAVE...NOW!"

Uruk growled in response, unsummoning, then resummoning his weapon into his hand, the rest of the party had likewise summoned their weapons and Fred his whisp. The frog stood up on its hind legs, cracking its knuckles before snapping up, and swallowing another fish, it grew once again and was now probaly large enough to swallow a cat without too much trouble. Uruk moved round to the left of the frog, while Eric moved to its right, Astrid let loose an arrow and it hopped back. Uruk charged forward swinging his axe at it, once again it hopped out of the way, only this time when it tried to kick him he was ready, he let go of his weapon moving out of the way of its foot before swinging his fist into its stomach knocking it away. The frog landed on its back near Eric who attempted to bring his club down upon its prone form. It rolled out of the way however, lashing its tongue at his leg with a loud crack ripping through both trouser and skin, Eric fell to the ground with a pained shout. The frog lept up to avoid another arrow, landing on Erics back and using him as a springboard to get closer to Astrid, before it could reach her however it was knocked back mid flight by a bolt of light fired by Freds whisp. The frog landed on its belly, skidding across the ground, then letting out an angry croak it lashed its tongue out at the whisp pulling it into its mouth.

"DETONATE!"

At Freds shouted command the frogs head exploded, sending a mass of meaty chunks flying out covering the party, its now headlesss body slumping on the ground, a small jet of blood spraying out around it.

"What was that?"

Astrid enquired

"Detonate, its a spell that makes my whisp explode, causing damage depending on how much mana it has."

"Sounds useful"

"Yeah yeah, real useful, now how about we collect the rest of this water so we can get out of this place."

Eric nodded.

"Agreed, did you get any loot from that Fred?"

"Couple of frog legs, and a Frowner Fish waterskin."

"Is it full?"

"No."

"Dam"

Eric looked around the lake at the many flapping fish, then again at the line of empty barrels.

"Its going to be a long day"

Sometime later after squeezing the last fish into the last barrel Eric simply picked it up and started walking back towards the village, neither one spoke to the other for the short walk back, the long tedious work having drained them both physically and mentally. They arrived at the village to find Annie and the elf eater talking to each other about seemingly mundane things, Annie watched them as they approached, a look of relief on her face. When they reached her side Eric put his hand out in front of him and 6 barrels full of water appeared in front of him.

"Okay, heres your water, ready to trade?"