>>5939285Just this age, our people acquired a second rank in Transmutation magic by learning from the mages of Chullum. Amongst the spells acquired are ones of breathing water. The bravest warrior-priests volunteer to face the creature, have the spells cast upon them before descending into the water. They bring ropes tied around themselves so that they can be pulled back up.
It is difficult to see what happens, but soon the water is greatly disturbed by a writhing black shape. Bubbles and blood float up to the surface in a churning frothing mess, further obscuring what is occurring. Tens of dozens of men pull upon the ropes, hoping to pull up the men, but instead they pull up the creature as it consumes them.
Countless black tentacles burst out of the surface, flailing every which way. They reach out and grab people upon the shore, choking them by constriction or tearing them apart. It grabs weapons in some of its arms and swings them around. The lake becomes a battleground, with many men throwing weapons or struggling against the tentacles and mages throwing spells into the writhing black mass at its center.
Each tentacle that is cut seems to be replaced by two more. The creature is only growing in response to our attacks, almost as if we are feeding it energy. What's worse is that it appears to be having an effect on our men that goes beyond the realm of the physical, almost as if it is affecting their minds; soon, there is fighting amongst our men in addition to the creature attacking us.
Finally, enough is enough; Avitus steps forth and unleashes a devastating blast of fire right into the heart of the mass, causing a horrific sound as it screams. The air fills with a noxious scent that causes many men to vomit and pass out. Due to the proximity of the blast and the beast, some of our men are caught in the crossfire and burn to death. However, this seems to have done it, and the tentacles sink back beneath the waters.
The mass of the abomination is hauled up from the depths, and transported with great difficulty back to Taurica, and with no time left to spare. The archons arrive in a gloriously brilliant beam of light, here to annihilate our society in search of this creature---but we have saved them the trouble and brought it to them.
The lead archon examines the creature, determining that it is not dead, merely in a state of recuperation. This makes it ideal for transport back to their home, whereupon it will be properly dealt with. The archon commands his subordinate to prepare the thing for transport.
The archon commends the work of our people. When asked if what he said earlier was merely a bluff to get us to act, he replies simply no, and if you had not been successful, they would have razed the countryside in search of it. The archon is physically incapable of lying.
