The group, now more cautious than ever, continued their swim across the lake. With Fenrir swimming next to Sera, he kept his head down as she led the way. His eyes darted across the surface of the water, keeping an eye out for any shadows.

He noticed a few appearing intermittently, but as soon as they were spotted, they disappeared. Marcus could feel how tense Fenrir was and remained on edge, keeping his knife at the ready.

The dense mana in the water seemed to thicken, almost as if the lake itself was aware of their presence and the threat they faced. Each stroke through the water felt heavier, more laden with energy as if they were swimming through a sea of liquid mana. 

However, because of how much mana there was around them, Sera was able to use her barriers without any problems. 

They kept a steady pace as Sera wasn’t able to go quite as fast due to all the things she was carrying and weighing her down. Her bones were also denser than before, forcing her speed to slow. 

“Keep close,” Zayzal called out, his voice slightly muffled by the water. “We don’t know if those things will come back or if there are more of them.”

Sera nodded, her muscles tense and ready for any sign of movement in the water. “If they come back, I’ll smash them before they get close.”

Marcus, still processing the recent attack, tried to focus on the here and now. His enhanced telepathy allowed him to pick up on the subtle currents of mana around them, a skill that he was still getting used to.

‘I should take advantage of this situation as best I can.’ He thought, freely using his talent without caring about efficiency. 

As they swam, the serene beauty of the lake seemed to transform into something more sinister. The once-clear water turned murky, and so were the memories that replayed within them. Fenrir growled softly, his ears perked up, sensing the unease of his companions.

Zayzal saw fragments of memories about his mother bringing home unique trinkets from Egypt whenever she went back to visit her family. Every time she left, she’d always bring back something unique–something that she probably shouldn’t have to begin with. 

Now, he has a whole collection of possibly stolen–ahem–repossessed goods.

For Sera, the memory she saw was what set her on the path of being a warrior. She was just a small child, around 4 years old. It was a particularly hot summer day, with clear skies and the fresh scent of pine. 

The warriors of the village were out training when, out of nowhere, a large brown bear charged out of the foliage and attacked. The men were already tired from training, but her father stepped in and met its charge head-on. 

Of course, he was smacked to the ground, but he managed to cleave through half of its leg. As the bear was roaring in pain, thrashing around, he got up and leaped on the bear’s back. Without hesitation, he took out a large knife and stabbed it into its neck. 

By that point, the other men had already cut most of its tendons, killing it in a matter of seconds. 

She was just a little girl when she saw that, but she learned two very valuable lessons that day. One, her father is amazing. And two, humans are capable of anything, all they need is the will to try.

From then on, her dream was to be more capable than her father. 

Suddenly, Marcus's senses picked up a faint disturbance in the water ahead of them. “Wait, stop!” he shouted, halting his strokes. “There’s something up ahead.”

Sera and Zayzal immediately stopped, turning to look in the direction Marcus was pointing. The water there seemed to ripple unnaturally as if something was moving just below the surface.

“Could be more of those spirits,” Zayzal speculated, his hand gripping his spear tightly. “Be ready for anything.”

They waited, watching the rippling water, but nothing emerged. Their swimming slowed as they gripped hard onto their weapons, tightening their core, each of them expecting an attack at any moment. But then, as suddenly as it had appeared, the disturbance ceased, and the water calmed.

“It’s gone... whatever it was,” Marcus said, his voice a mix of relief and confusion.

“Let’s not waste time,” Sera said, resuming her swim. “The sooner we get out of this lake, the better.”

They swam on, their pace quickened by the urgency of their situation. Minutes seemed to turn into hours, and it wasn’t long before their bodies started to get tired. But, with the threat of losing their memories, they kept quiet and moved along. As they neared the opposite shore of the lake, the dense mana began to dissipate, and the water returned to its original, tranquil state.

Finally reaching the shore, they clambered out, dripping wet and exhausted but safe for the moment. The land here was different from where they had entered the lake. The vegetation was denser, and the air was filled with the sounds of unfamiliar wildlife. It felt like they had emerged in a completely different part of the dungeon.

Zayzal surveyed the area, his [Adaptability] talent subtly tuning him into the surroundings. “Stay on guard. With this much open space and vegetation, who knows what could be hiding.”

The others nodded, but they still needed a break from all the swimming.

Marcus sat down on a nearby rock, Fenrir settling beside him. The experience in the lake had taken a toll on him, both physically and mentally. He felt a deep connection with Fenrir, a bond that had been strengthened by their shared ordeal.

Sera, meanwhile, was inspecting her new shield, the magical item they had acquired earlier. It gleamed in the sunlight, its surface etched with intricate runes. “This shield... it’s going to be a game-changer,” she said, a hint of pride in her voice. 

‘Maybe if I had this against Kaldrik, Anders wouldn’t have gotten hurt.’ She thought, but pushed that to the back of her mind and focused on resting. She had a feeling that whatever enemies they encountered next wouldn’t be easy.

Seeing both of them and the wolf sit down, Zayzal muttered, “Oh yeah…” He remembered that his companions weren’t like him and couldn’t adapt to things so quickly. “I guess… let’s take a quick break before we go any further. I’ll keep watch.”

They agreed, settling down for a brief rest. Marcus closed his eyes, reaching out with his telepathy to see if he could sense anything, but all he got back were faint noises, nothing worthwhile. Still with his eyes closed, he leaned against Fenrir to get a little shut-eye.

Sera trusted Zayzal, so she almost instantly fell asleep, wanting to get a quick nap in.

As they rested, the sounds of the forest seemed to envelop them, with the sound of dew dripping from leaves and the light chirping from birds. It was a moment of peace, a rare respite in the relentless challenge of the dungeon.

But they knew this peace would be short-lived. The dungeon had more in store for them, and they needed to be ready for whatever lay ahead.

After around half an hour, Zayzal spoke up, feeling like something was about to happen. They’d sat here long enough, resting. To the creatures of the dungeon, their presence should already be known with how much noise they were making. “Once you’re ready, we’ll move deeper into the forest,” Zayzal reminded. “We’ve come this far. We can’t back down now.”

Marcus nodded, opening his eyes. He felt much more alive after getting a quick nap in. Fenrir stood up as well, shaking off the rest of the water from his fur, ready to continue the journey.

Sera stood, hefting her shield and axe. “Let’s do this. Together.”

Together, they stepped into the dense foliage of the forest, ready to face the unknown. The forest was a labyrinth of towering trees and thick underbrush. The seemingly artificial sunlight barely penetrated the canopy, casting spotty shadows on the forest floor. Every sound, from the rustling of leaves to the distant calls of unseen creatures, put them on high alert.

“Stay sharp,” Sera whispered as they navigated through the undergrowth. “I can hear something breathing.”

As they delved deeper, the forest's ambiance shifted subtly. The air grew colder, and a faint mist began to rise from the ground, wrapping around their ankles like ghostly fingers.

Marcus’s telepathy picked up faint whispers, not words, but emotions – fear, anger, sorrow, and a desire for conquest – emanating from the heart of the forest. “There’s something ahead,” he said quietly. “Can’t tell what, but it’s powerful.”

Zayzal nodded, gripping his spear more tightly. “We’re not alone here. Let’s proceed with caution.”

The further they went, the more oppressive the atmosphere became. It was as if the forest itself was alive, watching them, breathing with them.

Suddenly, a low growl echoed through the trees, stopping them in their tracks. Fenrir’s ears perked up, and he tilted his head to the side, looking in the direction it came from.

“Sounds like we’ve got company,” Sera said, preparing her shield and axe.

The growl grew louder, and from the shadows of the forest, a pack of eight wolves emerged, their eyes glowing with an unnatural light. They were larger than normal wolves, standing up to their stomach. They had dark, matted fur and exuded a menacing aura.

Zayzal frowned and stepped forward, his spear at the ready. “These aren’t ordinary wolves. Be ready for anything.”

The wolves circled them, their growls reverberating through the forest. Marcus tried to reach out to them telepathically, but there was only darkness, a void where their minds should be.

“They’re not alive, not in the traditional sense,” Marcus said, his voice laced with unease. “They’re like... shadows.”

The two sides faced off, both inspecting each other. Then, for no apparent reason, the wolves lowered their heads and sank into a black spot on the ground that shot deeper into the forest. 

Fenrir gave Marcus a look and growled.

“What’s he saying?” Sera turned to the man and asked.

“Fenrir said… that we should follow them,” Marcus answered hesitantly, a little confused about this whole situation.

Before they could make of what Fenrir was trying to communicate, Zayzal took a step forward. “Then, no use waiting around here. Let’s get going.”