Aegirion finished slaughtering the last of the reptilian hordes. The atmosphere was dense with the smell of blood, flesh and rain. The swampy landscape quieted, aside from the hissing of acid slowly melting away the dead reptiles into the soil.
Samuel dragged himself through the scattered reptilian corpses, walking slowly towards Lira. Her body leaned against a muddy rock, her Sliver hair covered, with a mix of mud and blood, her face pale, her robe torn and stained.
She looked up as he approached.
"Are you okay?" Samuel asked, in a low tone.
Lira blinked twice, her eyes slowly focusiNoddingding weakly, rubbing her arms. "Yeah... I'm fine."
Samuel glanced around the ravaged swampy landscape, scanning for any remaining movement. "Stay here," he declared, turning away. "I'm going to scout the areas ahead."
He left Aegirion beside her, the blade still dripping with reptilian blood. He didn't want to carry it, for now. Because of Lira, for her safety.
He didn't want her dying on him, he didn't want his only chance to the Divine realm gone.
Even if it means that I have to leave my blade with her. He murmurs internally.
Then Samuel took off running, his bare feet splashed through the muddy waters. The land gradually dried as he followed the sandy terrains. Soon, the trees thinned out, and before him stretched a massive black lagoon. He stopped at the edge and narrowed his eyes. It was wider than he expected. He pondered on how he and Lira were going to cross over.
Then something in the Sidelines caught his attention. A massive, dried skeleton.
A dead giant.
Its skull rested near the shore of the lagoon, partially sunken into the mud. But it was large enough to sit in. Maybe even sail across.
Meanwhile, Lira sat cross-legged on the muddy soil, groaning dramatically. "Ugh, I'm starving," she muttered. "Dragged into the forest of the giants, almost got eaten by reptilian monsters, nearly melted alive, and now left alone to die of hunger. I miss my temple..."
She glanced at the blade. "You don't talk much, do you?"
Aegirion responded in a low and calm tone. "I speak when needed."
She raised an eyebrow. "So you really are alive?"
"In a way," it uttered. "I serve the will of the one who wields me."
She tilted her head upwards. "Well in a sense, I understand you, I mean that's how my whole life has been."
Aegirion paused. "He trusts you. That's rare."
Lira blinked once in surprise. "Samuel? Trust me? He barely even talks, and besides to him I'm just..., his key to the Divine realm."
"And yet you're still here," Aegirion uttered.
Before she could respond, the soil shook slightly. A subtle wave of energy rippled through the landscape.
Lira stood up quickly, hands glowing faintly in preparation. But it was Samuel, emerging from the trees.
He stopped in front of her. "I found it."
She frowned. "Found what?"
"The lagoon."
Her expression changed. "The Lagoon of Agony? You're serious?"
Samuel nodded. "Yeah. It's just past the ridge. But it's huge. We'll need to cross it."
She let out a fake smile, gripping her robe tightly, looking down at her legs, trying to hide a small limp.
She took a step forward and winced. Samuel noticed immediately. He walked over and scooped her up into his arms.
"Hey...! I can walk!" she exclaimed, flustered, "Put me down!"
"You're limping," he replied flatly.
"Still! A little warning would've been nice."
"You're heavier than you look," he added casually.
"You're mean," Lira replied, thumping his chest with her fist. "Always mean to me."
He didn't respond. He just kept walking.
With Aegirion dissolving back into his body, Samuel moved a little bit, slower than usual. He carried her through some trees for several minutes. He didn't speak. She stayed silent too, arms loosely around his neck. His body was steady, Carrying someone in his arms limited his movement. But he didn't complain.
After a while, They arrived at the edge of the Lagoon of Agony. It stretched out far into the distance, It was a dark, still body of water. The pitch black, and looks alive. The atmosphere was denser. The wind was thin. The water looked thick, like oil rather than water.
Samuel gently set Lira down. She looked around nervously
"This place is cursed," she whispered. "I feel sick just standing here."
He couldn't deny it.
"How are we supposed to cross?" she asked.
Samuel pointed to the shores.
Lira followed his finger, and her jaw dropped.
"No. Absolutely not."
A massive makeshift boat lay near the lagoon shores. Or rather, a hollowed-out skull of a dead True Blood Giant, its eyes empty, mouth open, bones cracked and blackened, some parts full of algae.
"No no no no," Lira muttered. "That's not a boat. I'm not stepping into that thing."
Samuel walked over and pushed it towards the water. It floated. Barely.
She kept protesting. "It'll sink. It'll tip. It'll come alive and eat us. I'm not getting in that."
He ignored her, turned around, walked up to her, and picked her up again.
"Don't you dare..."
He gently tossed her into the skull boat.
Lira screamed. "SAMUEL!"
"Cruel monster," she muttered under her breath.
He pushed off with a piece of the giant's bone and paddled them across the lagoon. The silence was intoxicating. Only the ripple of water and the occasional creak of bone paddle echoed around them. Everything else was Silence absolutely silence.
The forest of Eldoria faded, behind them as they sailed deeper into the lagoon. The Cold atmosphere settled around them.
Minutes passed.
Lira began to shiver. Noticing. Samuel looked around and found a ragged piece of cloth, a large strip of leather from the dead giant. He handed it to her.
She looked disgusted. "Is this... skin?"
"It's warm," he responded flatly.
"No..! Lira uttered while looking away.
Samuel shrugged. "Then freeze."
She hesitated, then slowly pulled it over her shoulders. "Ugh. Smells really bad."
More silence. Then she looked at him seriously.
Finally, Lira spoke, her tone quieter. "You haven't slept once since all this started."
Samuel didn't answer.
She turned to face him. "I mean it. You're doing everything. "You can close your eyes for a while. I'll keep watch."
"We're in the middle of a lagoon," he replied. "Now is not the best time for a nap."
"Then use my lap."
He blinked. "What?"
"You heard me. Just lay down. I'll wake you if anything happens."
He looked unsure.
She patted her lap. "I'm serious. I'm not made of glass."
He stared at her. "No."
She patted her lap again. "Here. Just for a few minutes."
He stayed still.
She grabbed his shoulders and pulled him down.
He let her.
His head rested gently on her lap. Her hands hovered awkwardly before settling on his hair, brushing it lightly.
He didn't say anything.
"You're warmer than I expected," she whispered while smiling.
"I'm not a corpse," he replied.
She smiled softly.
Then she started humming. A lullaby. It was Something Samuel could not just explain, The melody was immersive and comforting.
His eyes closed.
"I know you're not really asleep," she responded. "But it's okay. You can pretend."
Samuel didn't move.
Minutes passed. She stared at his face.
He looked peaceful. Less cold. Less burdened.
She leaned downwards slowly.
Her face hovered above his. Her heart begins pounding.
Then Samuel's eyes opened.
"What are you doing?" he asked calmly.
She jumped, blushing furiously. "N-Nothing! Just... making sure you're breathing!"
He raised an eyebrow. "I'm breathing."
She looked away, flustered. "Good. Great. Don't die."
Before he could say anything else, the skullboat jacked violently.
A massive splash rippled behind them.
Samuel sat up quickly.
Something was under the water.
He grabbed her wrist tightly.
"Hold on."
The skullboat shook again.
Lira gasped.
Samuel's eyes narrowed. "We're not alone."
The water rippled again, this time closer.
He reached for his weapons.
"Aegirion."