As she swam towards the surface, her vision blurred from the blood seeping from her wounded leg. The electric shocks wracked her body, but she pushed through, driven by sheer willpower. Gasping for air as she breached the surface, Habondia struggled to stand, her muscles trembling with exhaustion. But before she could regain her footing, the serpent emerged once more, its yellow eyes fixed on her with a predatory gleam.

With a swift movement, the serpent ensnared her injured leg, suspending her upside down. Habondia's cries of fury and despair echoed through the night, mingling with the creature's heavy breaths. In a moment of eerie connection, she felt a wave of anguish wash over her, a plea for help emanating from the depths of the serpent's gaze. It became clear to her that the creature harbored a pain of its own, a suffering that mirrored her own struggles.

"Free me!" the thought echoed in her mind, a plea that tugged at her heart even as the serpent flung her back into the water, a gesture that seemed more like a warning than a death sentence.

As Habondia sank into the murky depths once more, she grappled with conflicting emotions. The battle had taken a toll on both her body and spirit, but a glimmer of empathy blossomed within her.

Habondia struggled against the relentless current of the lake, her limbs aching as she fought to break the surface. Just as her strength waned, a strange figure caught her eye—a horse-like being made from shimmering water, known as an Each-Uisge. The creature's liquid form rippled with malicious energy as it surfaced beside her, its eyes fixed on her with an unsettling intensity.

Startled but resolute, Habondia allowed herself to be pulled from the water by the Each-Uisge, its watery hooves galloping effortlessly across the surface of the lake. She clung to its mane as they circled the monstrous reptile lurking below, the creature's sinuous form disappearing into the murky depths once more. Each-Uisge were known for their trickery, preying on unsuspecting humans to siphon their vitality, but Habondia was no ordinary prey. She understood their ways, and though their loyalty was fleeting at best, she was capable of controlling this type of fae creature.

The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

As she reached the safety of her camp on the opposite shore, Habondia dismounted the water horse, her gaze lingering on its ethereal form. "Saint Columba bound the serpent to guard a secret beneath these waters," she murmured, running a hand along the creature's watery muzzle. "But now, you seek liberation."

Rushing to her tent, she retrieved her mirror and summoned Naamaah who jumped from her bed after being awakened. "Translate this phrase into Latin for me: 'Thou shalt not go further,'" she requested, her voice urgent.

“I was sleeping,” Naamaah yawned, a hint of annoyance in her tone. "What do you need this for?"

"Just do it, please," Habondia replied.

As Naamaah pondered the translation, Habondia mounted the Each-Uisge, ready to confront the looming threat in the lake. "I'm not very good at translating things into Latin. Let me think," Naamaah said, scratching her head as she yawned. "Non egredieris ultra, I guess."

"And how would you say: 'You can go'?" Habondia pressed.

"Libertatus es," Naamaah sighed. With the translations in hand, Habondia canceled the spell cutting off the connection with her friend, her focus shifting back to the serpent.

Approaching the creature, Habondia uttered the Latin phrases with conviction. "Non egredieris ultra," she repeated, her voice steady. The serpent recoiled, a guttural hiss escaping its maw.

"Nessie,” she added softly, a note of compassion in her tone. “Libertatus es."

To her surprise, the creature's demeanor shifted. It closed its eyes, a strange calmness settling over its features. In that moment, Habondia sensed a connection beyond words, a shared understanding that transcended their animosity. As the serpent bowed its head, she caught a glimpse of what appeared to be tears—tears of relief, of sadness.

With a heavy heart, Habondia watched as the serpent's form crumbled into a powdery residue, dissipating into the waters of the lake. All that remained was a haunting silhouette on the surface, a poignant reminder of the creature that had met its end. Nessie, the legendary beast, had passed from this realm.