Ignis dived into the lake. As soon as she entered her head into the water, the feeling of seemingly being transported to a different world remained mostly the same. Sounds worked differently, movements were hindered, air was absent, but all this was felt more clearly in her human form. Was it because humans were weaker? That must be it. Couldn’t be because of fear.

The water was clear, and the sun’s light reached the bottom, allowing Ignis to have a look at the kraken that had stolen her friend. It was a humongous creature, perhaps the same size as her dragon form, and wielded tentacles that could move smoothly in the water. Its eyes were gigantic; its black pupils were staring at Ignis, who was now within its territory.

I’ll burn your eye if you don’t release Alicia, you aquatic creature!

Ignis swam toward the tentacle that was wrapping Alicia. Actually, rather than swimming, it was more like she was wriggling in the water with ungraceful movements. Regardless, although she wasn’t exactly “swimming”, her underwater wriggle was bringing her closer and closer toward the tentacle.

Was it that the kraken was slow? Or was it that the tentacle knew Ignis wanted to save Alicia and was using her as bait to lure her deeper into the depths?

Regardless, Ignis reached the tentacle.

Ignis’s chest throbbed. Feeling the shock, some air escaped from her mouth.

Why do humans have to be so weak? She hadn’t spent long underwater, but she was suffocating. She needed to resurface, soon. However, she wasn’t going back without Alicia.

Ignis punched the tentacle with her good hand, but that did nothing. She didn’t have the monstrous strength which she used to have.

If I can’t punch you, I’ll burn you!

Without remembering what had happened to her previously burnt hand, she unleashed her flame underwater with her good hand. The water surrounding her arm bubbled, and when she pressed her hand onto the tentacle, she burnt and hurt the kraken enough to let go of its grasp on Alicia.

That’s right! You better let her go!

Ignis grabbed the unconscious Alicia and began wriggling to the surface. Fortunately for her, it was easier to swim up than to swim down. Midway through, a knight who had shed his armor and had also dived helped them by pulling them up.

Air. I need air.

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The surface was almost there for Ignis to reach, however, she felt something tugging her leg. She glanced over her shoulder to see the kraken’s tentacle taking hold of her leg. In that moment, Ignis let go of Alicia, handing her over to the knight before the kraken pulled her back into the depths.

I can’t breathe.

Her chest was throbbing even more now. Her head was pounding. Darkness crowded her vision. She had never felt this bad before, never in the centuries that she had spent living in a cave. She knew what this sensation meant: death was coming to take her life.

Am I going to die here?

Darkness crowded her vision even more. As Ignis was about to lose consciousness, she saw the kraken’s abyss-like pupils—looking down on her. That filled her with rage.

How dare you? How dare you! I will not die here!

That rage was enough to push Ignis a bit further. She formed a fist with her good hand. The one which she had used to burn one of the kraken’s tentacles. She had thought it had been burnt like the other arm, but to her surprise it wasn’t. This water might be drowning her, but at the same time it was preventing her own flames from burning her. She didn’t have to worry about burning herself to death.

I will not hold anything back!

Ignis unleashed her flame on full scale. She did not contain her flame to just her arm but released it all over her body. The water surrounding her bubbled, boiling in an instant, so did the tentacle. The pupils which had looked down on her were now instilled with fear, however it was too late for the kraken to run. Where could it run anyway? There wasn’t any place in this lake that would be safe from Ignis. It had made the grave mistake of angering the former great fire dragon.

***

Alicia gasped for air. She regained consciousness. She remembered having been swiped by a kraken and being saved by Ignis. However, no matter where she looked, she couldn’t find Ignis.

‘Where’s Ignis?’

‘I’m sorry Alicia,’ her father answered, ‘the kraken got her.’

‘No! That can’t be! We have to save her!’

He shook his head. ‘I’m afraid that’s not possible.’

‘No. No…’ Tears welled in her eyes. ‘It was because of me… Because she had to save me...’

‘It’s not your fault, Alicia.’

‘It was my fault. I—’

‘Take cover behind the trees!’ A knight shouted. ‘Something is going on inside the lake!’

Feeling the danger from his warning, everyone obeyed without asking why.

At that moment, the lake’s surface was boiling all over, and instantly transformed into a giant cloud of steam.

Ignis had boiled the entire lake with her flame.

***

‘Ha… haha…’ Ignis was standing at the bottom of the lake, breathing hot air into her lungs. She had transformed the lake—once full of water—into an empty crate full of nothing. The kraken which he burnt had no remains. ‘How do you like that? That’s what you get for… messing with me… Ignis, the great… fire dragon…’

Having exhausted herself, Ignis collapsed and fell to the ground.