New weapons in hand, Starflower, Beowulf, Tamora, and Merlin continued past the giant fall. After some convincing, Starflower had swayed her bodyguards in allowing her to carry one of the massive cleavers, and it looked utterly ridiculous compared to her otherwise petite form. She swung it carelessly, and Merlin watched her closely from the corner of his eye. 

The adjacent chamber led into a murky cistern. The green water lapped at crumbling edges of stone, and the room was lit with the unearthly glow of reflection, ripples dancing across the ceiling. It was beautiful, if not utterly disconcerting. 

“Woah!” Starflower gasped, words muffled around the cleaver. The other three had no sheaths to carry the large blades, and so held them clutched in their jaws as they walked. “This is crazy! I’ve never seen anything like this before.” She stepped forward confidently, setting a hoof in the water before the other three could intervene. 

Breath held, Merlin glanced around. This was the perfect spot for any sort of marine dwelling horror… serpents, dragons, leeches, sharks- the possibilities were endless. Nothing moved, say for the ripple pouring from Starflower’s pastern. 

Beowulf and Tamora exchanged looks, then shrugged and followed their princess. 

“Lovell,” Merlin grunted to his gray owl. “Can you scan overhead? Something is off here.” With an affirmative chirp, the bird burst into the air. 

The water was unnaturally warm, almost thick, and he shuddered. Ahead, Starflower chattered, the blade doing nothing to render her mute. 

“Hey, guide.” Beowulf’s gruff voice startled Merlin from his reverie. “Have you ever seen this? It looks almost…” 

“Man-made? Yeah, I was thinking that. I’ve never seen purposeful cisterns down here before, but I guess it’s not impossible. It seems odd to hold water underground- there is nothing to water, and the things that live down here soak in the moisture from the air to stay hydrated. Unless it was meant as an oasis for adventurers?” He shrugged. “Stay alert.” 

Beowulf grunted, piercing eyes scanning every corner. 

“Hey guys?” Starflower called out from ahead. “What’s that?” She gestured with her blade towards the far end of the pool. 

The stallions trudged through the water, squinting where she pointed. Fin splitting the calm surface, a gargantuan aquatic shape barreled toward them. It moved similarly to a snake, though bore large sets of fins along its scaled body, maw open to reveal rows upon rows of gnashing teeth. 

“Hey!” Lovell’s voice called from above. “There’s a water dragon in here!” 

“Yes, thank you.” Merlin bellowed, drawing his blade and stepping in front of Starflower in one smooth motion. Tamora and Beowulf flanked him, both leveling the tips of their swords at the creature’s face. 

In a rapid flick of a tail, it turned off its direct assault and circled, waiting for any possible crack in their armor. It wouldn’t take long for one of them to slip and allow an opening for the beast. 

“Wait!” Starflower, to the other’s horror, shoved through their barrier. “Look! He’s hurt.” She dropped the blade, where it sank to the bottom with a cluster of bubbles. 

Sure enough, Merlin could see there was something wrapped around its fin, and a thin trail of blood followed the beast’s movements. “I’m not here to hurt you.” Her voice was impossibly soft as she sat in the cistern, allowing the dragon to approach her. 

With the tenderness of a mother assessing her newborn, she unwrapped what looked to be a discarded length of rope, and tossed it aside. The dragon watched her with curious, unblinking eyes, but made no move to attack, and once freed, it let out a grunting sigh. It nudged its massive nose into the white mare’s chest, and slunk off, leaving the others aghast. 

“Starflower!” Merlin gaped at her.

She glanced his direction. “What? Don’t you bother to check before you swing that ugly sword around?”