Chapter 243: The Pool

Anselm and Jungle had their fair look at the depth of the pool of mud water the maw jumped out of. Jungle wasted no time drilling me, asking what kind of snake it was, what colour, how large, if it spoke to me.

I was caught off guard at the last one. If it spoke to me. No one told me these things could fucking speak. I tossed aside his questions for a question of my own; where the fuck is my soul?

No, not my soul, but my soul, one of the thirty-two that resided in the Gem. When the maw plunged back into the pool I pulled and called for the soul to return to me, I could feel it fighting to leave whatever was holding it back. 

It hasn't returned. Worse even, I can't feel it any more, I can't call on it, it's as if it never existed. Whatever that beast was, it ate my soul and I'm pissed about it.

Jungle doesn't much care for my concerns of course. Despite my insistence to wait until morning before exploring the depths of the pool, the man couldn't sit still. But I know better than to get active before I'm ready for a battle, and there will be a battle.

I've got all the more reason to go down the pool with him now, the damn things can eat souls. If that doesn't speak to their strength I don't know what else will, I expect the worst out of them, perhaps more than Gamma Warrior level strength.

I've dealt with Gamma's offhandedly before, I did so even before I got access to [Soul Manipulation], but that's not putting down their strength, Gammas are still  tough foes to deal with, especially with all their erratic magic.

Anselm, Shaco and I leave Jungle to trouble himself with the pool while we heed our own advice and get some rest for what will be a troublesome battle in the morning.

When morning comes Jungle is waiting for us at the edge of the pool, his spear in hand and even some armour.

"Where'd you get the armour from?" Anselm asks the burning question.

Since we met the man he's been barefoot and loosely clothed with bits of large leaves and he stunk like sewage. Now he dons a light armour set, dark green gauntlets that stop at his elbow, a chestplate with several rigids and shoulder pads in the same vein. His legs and feet are covered by the same material and under that I spy a bit of hard mesh leather that glimmers and whispers with magic. 

Despite the wardrobe change he still stinks like sewage. Guess some things never change.

"Picked it up while you were asleep." He says it like we're in the wrong for preparing our minds and bodies for a battle with beasts large enough to make a gaping hole in the ground.

"Are you two ready?" He asks, looking our way, the green sheen of his metal mask catches the sun and shines in my eye. 

I prefered the wooden version.

Anselm looks at me and I nod, "Let's go...or I'd say that if I knew how we were going to get in. I thought about this while I drifted off to sweet, sweet sleep. That pool probably doesn't lead where you say it does."

"You-!"

"AND! Even if it does, what's to say it isn't just water most of the way? Last I checked I can't breathe under water. Anselm sure, he's immortal but me? You? No."

"Is that your only concern...Asher?" The way he stresses my name tells me he's got a ripe solution to that very problem.

"Yes, yes it is." I say, resigning that this is happening no matter what.

He nods and pulls out something from his pocket, a vial with blue and red leaves at the bottom. He dips it into the mud water, letting only the dirt water flow into the vial and then he hands it to me.

"Charge this with mana."

'Charge it with mana? Is this some sort of enchantment?'

It has to be, or perhaps it's some sort of ritual. If it gives me gills I'll be pissed.

With the vial in hand I direct my raw, untainted blue mana into it, letting it crawl all over the vial, into the water and finally, over the leaves. The result is a bright blue light that stings my eyes. When it fades in a few seconds the dirt water is no more and the leaves are gone.

In the vial is water as clear as I've ever seen.

"What was that?"

He snorts, "A practise common to all hunters, this is how we purify our water. The blue leaves are something you can pick up at a herbalist but I don't need one since I'm here." He gestures at the Forest, "And the red gives the ability to-"

"Breathe underwater." Anselm jumps in, filling in for Jungle. 

Except he shakes his head, "No, that would be ridiculous. It gives the ability to survive underwater, underground or strangulation with a single breath. All you need to do is take a sip and take a deep breath. Do so now, you lot wasted precious time yesterday."

I want to ask what the name of the plant but I can feel his heated glare behind the mask. A question for another time then. 

I do as instructed, a swig and a deep breath and suddenly a burning heat runs through me, my lips seal shut and I can't take another breath.

"Oh, I forgot to mention, it shuts people up, can't have you gulping water like a damn fish now can we?" I can hear him grinning like an idiot behind the mask, I manage a growl and he laughs, "We jump in now. Eyes closed until you feel the mud give way to water."

He takes a swing and a breath then leads the way, Spear strapped to his back as he plunges.

Anselm and I share a look, he grins and ushers me, "Ladies first."