Chapter 34: The Lake Serpent
The water rippled violently as the serpent rose from the depths, its massive body glistening under the moonlight. Its eyes glowed a menacing red, casting reflections across the lake like burning embers. A chilling voice echoed in the minds of the five knights who dared to step into the lake's heart.
Lake Serpent: "So… they still send me nothing. Long ago, your kind brought me offerings—sacrifices—to appease my hunger. Yet now you come empty-handed. Do you wish for your village to sink beneath my waves?"
The team stiffened, each of them gripping their weapons tighter. The atmosphere was suffocating, heavy with dread.
Captain Elara, standing at the lakeside with the others, raised her voice firmly, though her heart pounded.
Elara: "Wait. We are not from this village. Before you demand from us, answer this—are you the guardian of this lake, or the enemy of the people who live here?"
For a moment, silence reigned. Then the serpent's mouth curled into something like a cruel grin.
Lake Serpent: "Guardian? Enemy? Foolish mortals. Do not seek truth from my tongue. Ask the villagers. They know my nature better than you. And remember this… until next time, bring me what I am owed—or your precious humans will drown in my waters."
The serpent slowly sank back beneath the lake, leaving ripples that seemed to pulse with lingering malice. The five knights stood frozen, their bodies stiff with tension. The once still night air now carried a heavy weight, as though the serpent's warning clung to them.
Back on shore, Ursa muttered, "It let us go… but only for now. Next time, it won't hesitate."
Synoh clenched his fist, remembering Fel's words. He glanced at Elara, who caught his look, her expression serious. Whatever truth lay in this lake, it wasn't going to stay hidden for long.
The village chief's face paled when Captain Elara pressed him for the truth. With a heavy sigh, he led her, Synoh, and several Division 10 officers into a hidden passage beneath the meeting hall.
The air grew colder as they descended. Torches flickered against stone walls etched with strange carvings—serpentine coils, human figures kneeling, and demons engulfed in flame. At the far end, a mural stretched across the chamber, its colors faded with age but its tale still vivid.
The chief began to speak.
"Long ago, when Eldoria was torn apart by the war between humans and demons, this village was nothing but a helpless settlement. The demon hordes struck us again and again. We would have perished… if not for the knights who once guarded these lands. But when they departed to join the greater war, we were left alone."
He pointed toward a carving of a great scaled beast rising from the waters of a lake.
"It was then the serpent appeared. Seeking a home, it offered us a pact—one that saved us, but damned us as well. Its terms were twofold: the lake would be its domain, untouched by human feet save for fishing… and we would offer it sacrifices, proof of our loyalty."
The Division 10 knights shifted uneasily, the weight of the words settling over them.
"At first, our forefathers hesitated. But when the demons came again, the serpent rose from the waters and slaughtered them. The people had no choice. They accepted the pact. From then on, blood was offered… and in return, the serpent defended us."
The chief's expression hardened, guilt etched into every wrinkle of his face.
"When the news came that Demon King Roax had been sealed by the alliance of kingdoms and their vassal heroes, our people thought we could finally end this curse. They told the serpent the pact was no longer needed."
His voice dropped into a whisper.
"The beast was furious. It swore that if we denied it sacrifice, it would bring ruin upon us with its own fangs. We begged for help from the Arcel Kingdom. One of their captains answered… and through wit and magic, he forced the serpent into hibernation deep beneath the lake."
The torches sputtered as silence fell. The knights of Division 10 exchanged wary glances, goosebumps prickling their skin.
The chief looked at Elara with haunted eyes.
"But its slumber was never meant to last. Something has begun to stir it awake. And if it rises again… the pact may return to claim us."