When I finally came to a full stop, I saw another fish charging at me. I shot my hands forward and projected my energy toward it. I created a barrier against which the fish collided, giving me enough time to get out of the way. The fish slammed against the barrier, making me falter. Holding a barrier under water wasn't an easy feat.

I was clearly at a disadvantage here. I couldn't swim as fast as the aquatic creature, but at least I could get close to it. It slammed once more against the barrier. I saw its eyes turn to red, and its mouth opened, revealing rows of sharp canines. I couldn't keep the barrier up for so long. I had to act, and find a way to reach the hatch quickly. 

I swam closer to the fish then released the barrier. 

It charged at me, but I was ready to make my move by then. I grabbed one of its horns as it swam toward me. Water rushed against my face and hair as though it was wind. The fish shot deep down into the lake at full speed, trying to shake me off. 

I fought the current as I clambered onto the fish's back. Then, coating my hand with my own energy, I put it through its fins. I quickly found muscle tissue and grabbed it with all my force. The fish wiggled in the hot water, tried to shake me off, but I endured. 

My lungs were crying for air by then. I knew I didn't have a choice but to endure, and endure I did. I coated my other hand with my energy and got hold of another muscle inside the fish's fins. It began wiggling in all directions. It tried its best to shake me off, but no matter how it squirmed, I just reinforced my hold on its innards. 

I projected my thoughts outwards, toward the panicking fish. I tried my best to convey the image of the hatch to it. Everytime I showed the fish the image, I would squeeze its innards. The creature tried to fight back at first, but after the tenth try, it bent to my will.

The fish charged forward then. It still tried to shake me off with its tremendous speed. That was when I began manipulating its trajectory through pain. Every time I strengthened my grip, the creature would come to its senses. 

Using that trick, I guided the fish toward the hatch Heda had shown us. The water around us was getting hotter by the second. The deeper we went, the blurrier my vision became. It felt as though my eye was about to burst, so I had to close it and rely on my senses to reach the hatch.

Soon, water grew cooler. We were going deeper into the lake. I had to deal with my tortured lungs, however. It felt as though they were about to pop. I felt lightheaded and my grip around the fish began to falter. The harder I tried to keep the energy coating around my hands, the closer I felt toward pa.s.sing out. 

I finally let go of the fish as the latter dove deeper inside the lake. It was a fish, made to endure such harsh circ.u.mstances. I was, despite my strengthened soul, still inhabiting a mortal body. 

I spread my senses outward, trying to find the hatch. Despite the angry fire elemental above us, I couldn't see a thing down here. It had grown too dark, and the water had become icy cold. My limbs began to freeze. I couldn't hold my breath any longer. 

My lungs had finally given up. I opened my mouth and my lungs filled with water. I gurgled as I desperately tried to inhale some air, anything to end this agony. I grew lightheaded, and my eyes slowly closed. Then I felt something slip past me and hold me from my belt. The last thing I remembered was heading deep down into the lake. 

I woke up, coughing and wheezing. Water spurted out of my mouth. I was s.h.i.+vering from head to toe. I started remembering the past events. Then I sprung up to my feet. That was a bad idea, however. My head turned and I felt my body leaning toward the floor. I fell on my back. Then I heard someone snorting. 

I looked up to see Heda and the others staring at me. The champion of life had transformed into some kind of bird. Light enveloped her, creating wings made out of crimson light beams. Her narrow eyes had popped wide open. They had a deep blue color. Staring at them made me feel serene, as though nothing mattered anymore. 

"What happened?" I asked. 

"This is Friede's last resort. She can only use it once every three days, so she has to use it carefully," Heda explained. 

"We call her Friede, The Phoenix," Sylens said. His mood had improved. Mainly due to our recent escape from death, I a.s.sumed.

"I don't control when the transformation happens either," Friede said with a melodious voice that made my heart warm up. "When my life is in danger, the fragment acts on its own." 

"Well, thank you for saving our lives, Friede The Phoenix," I said with a tired smile then nodded to her. 

She nodded back, smiling. The energy around her head made it look as though it transformed. Crimson energy shot from her neck and extended above her hair. Each crimson beam looked like a feather, gathering atop her head like a crown. She truly looked like a Phoenix, albeit with a human mouth. That alone made me wince, it's strange to look at a bird with a human mouth.

I had to look elsewhere to distract myself from that disturbing sight. 

We were sitting in a tunnel wide enough to hold four people. Crystals shaped like octahedrons hung on the walls, illuminating the tunnel with soft lights. None of the commotion that we had to deal with in the lake reached our ears. It was so silent I could hear my heart pound against my eardrums. 

"Now what?" Sylens asked. 

"Now we recover then we explore these tunnels. They have to lead us to the lab, eventually," Heda replied. 

"I never expected to see a fire elemental though," Friede said. The light that enveloped her began fading. She was slowly regaining her usual form. 

"Once the Holi Wars start, we will encounter far more formidable foes," I said. Omega had taught me well, but nothing could have prepared me to face an elemental. This last one was the essence of fire incarnate. We didn't stand a chance. 

I sat on a lotus position then began regulating my breath. I had to do something to get my mind off the last events. I had to check on my conduits and stabilize my energy flow. Only then could I regain full control over my energy and the type of spells I wanted to cast. 

"It's a shame we lost all of Rimbaldi's spheres," Sylens said. "Maybe we should back track and find the monsters out in the forest. We could harvest their spheres. We'll have a significant advantage against Rimbaldi." 

While Sylens spoke, I had my senses spread in all directions. I kept working on my conduits, stabilizing them and deflating the ones that had expanded too much. I was in the middle of mending the conduit near my third core when I sensed an incoming threat.

I opened my eye. Friede had reverted to her human form. Heda was frowning. "You felt them coming too, didn't you?" I asked her. 

She nodded. "You're getting your wish granted Sylens," she said in a sardonic tone. She looked behind her toward the darkest depths of the tunnel. "There's more than two dozen. I think we should leave for now. We're too exhausted to repel all of them." 

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