Linnea allowed her golden eyes to study the vast, marbled statues that lay before her and her party member, barely noticing her wolf companion, Milaos, wandering off to search the chamber. These sculptures, now depreciated with age, had various cracks and crumbles that lined their graceful figures, and she squinted particularly at the spindly two-legged creatures that led and rode the coursers in this huge, elaborate piece of art. Despite it being of stone and bereft of the detail it once had when it was young, the piece still flowed like a gigantic wave, some statues reaching up to the ceiling and surrounding the room like a holy tapestry. 

“It’s nice to travel the buried kingdom with a courser so quiet,” she smirked, glancing towards Leif. The countess was more muscle than height, but Leif was both, towering over her and only looking her way when addressed. Technically, this golden courser served under her and was a new member of her High House — more of a material gatherer and weapon tester than an ironworker. Luckily for Leif, this was their purpose for Linnea’s excursion into the dungeons — ever since the Harvester had come and gone, the guild had procured valuable materials only acquired from him. Melding these materials together and shaping them into weapons created mighty swords and lances, which Linnea intended to test along Leif’s side. 

Leif only nodded at her, following her as she descended farther into this forgotten garden. Life that once thrived overground now withered under, dead vines crawling up these aforementioned sculptures that Leif could only describe as creepy, yet he could not look away from them. They seemed to reach the middle of this vast, sprawling chamber as they approached a large fountain — somehow still spouting water in its ancient state — the sparkling water reflecting onto the mosaic paths and creating a glittering rainbow of light around the surrounding area. Leif was not a courser that basked in the beauty of art, but even he was not immune to the scene, and unlike the statues, considered this beautiful. Linnea, too, stared, but their awe was cut short as the water began to ripple. Then shift, swirl, and throw the once sedentary light all around the chamber like a chaotic void. For a moment, Leif panicked, feeling like he would be sucked up by this strange vortex, but Linnea grounded him, standing next to her new guild mate with her shimmering lance unsheathed. Gaining his composure, he prepared himself, drawing his own steel from his leather strap. 

“No wonder the fountain still works,” he grumbled. “The water’s been magicked.”

Linnea squinted as the water swirled faster and faster til it began to rise out of its hold, forming a strange, disfigured monster, translucent and somehow alluring with all the light it reflected. It used this to its advantage, blinding the two coursers, and stealing away Leif in its watery arms during their distraction. Linnea was quick to act, leaping onto the fountain and from there up to the monster’s heart where Leif was imprisoned. The golden courser felt as if his lungs would burst, struggling and flailing, but the water would not let him move. Linnea’s lance pierced the liquid form and created a brief opening where she grabbed Leif, the two of them crashing into the floor below with a heavy *thump.*

Leif groaned but was quick to grab his sword, Linnea’s wolf, Milaos, returned to her side with a ferocious growl. Linnea sent him forth and Leif followed, slicing at the creature's lower half, but it only reformed each time.

“Leif — we need someone hot enough to evaporate it!” Linnea shouted, looking around for anything flammable. It seemed she did not need anything, however, as their weapons began to rattle menacingly. Linnea knew little about the properties of the materials in these weapons, and had not the time to listen to the scholars and their findings, but assumed that this could be their key to escaping this battle with their heads on their shoulders.

Leif took the opportunity, and the two surged toward the watery monster, Milaos on their heels, fighting for their lives.