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Live Evil: Part 7 – The Thing in the Lake
They reached the shores of Llangorse Lake. The water was inky black, and lapped gently upon the shore. Out in the middle of the lake, some half-a-mile offshore, loomed a heavily wooded island. On it were some motes of light, which appeared to be moving slowly through the trees.
Cornwell pointed out several small boats, which lay abandoned on the shore in the village."That's our only ticket to the island."
Hammer and Archive looked at Jim-Bean. "No," he responded to their unspoken question. "I can't float you all across the lake. It's too far."
They embarked on two boats, Archive and Cornwell in one, Jim-Bean and Hammer in the other.
The silence of the lake's unbroken surface was interrupted only by the soft swish of the oars in water.
Jim-Bean peered down into the inky blackness. "There could be anything down there."
As if in response, something long and thin passed beneath the boat, momentarily scraping the keel.
"Jimmy…" Hammer muttered a warning.
A vaguely humanoid head covered in stringy green hair emerged from the surface. The creature's mouth, a round sucker-like orifice ringed with rows of tiny teeth, worked a malefic chant.
Jim-Bean clutched his eyes. "Uh guys? I'm blind."
Hammer responded by spraying bullets into the water. The head disappeared under the surface, only to reappear behind them.
Cornwell fired his grenade launcher, exploding the water in a great shower, but the head appeared a third time off to their left.
"It keeps moving!" said Archive. "I can't get a bead on it!"
"Oh for crying out loud," shouted Hammer. "Just do that thing you do with your symbol!"
Archive shrugged and held the amulet up. "By the power of the Elder Sign I repel thee!"
The head snapped backward as if slapped. The face's expression turned from cold malevolence to fear and it ducked down into the murk, followed shortly thereafter by a stubby green tail.
Jim-Bean rubbed his eyes, blinking. "Finally!"
He could see the island; approximately one hundred yards in diameter and heavily wooded. As they approached, the motes of light disappeared.
They hopped out of their boats – there was no dock – and clambered up onto the island.
Once on the island, the weak moonlight illuminated a path through the bare branches and trunks of the trees, mainly Alder and Willow. This path was some three-feet wide and the ground was carpeted in leaves. All around them was heavy undergrowth.
Jim-Bean cocked his head. He could hear…something. A curious distorted voice, telling him random gibberish. He decided not to share it with the others.
The path came to an end in a mound surrounded by a small clearing. At the center of the mound was a circular wooden door, which looked ancient. Embedded on the door was a strange glyph.
"That symbol…" said Cornwell, shaking with rage.
"It's the one we saw in that other labyrinth," said Archive.
"The one that sick bastard Chubb carved into me brother." The door opened of its own accord and Cornwell charged down the steps leading into darkness.
"Amateurs," muttered Hammer.
They reached the shores of Llangorse Lake. The water was inky black, and lapped gently upon the shore. Out in the middle of the lake, some half-a-mile offshore, loomed a heavily wooded island. On it were some motes of light, which appeared to be moving slowly through the trees.
Cornwell pointed out several small boats, which lay abandoned on the shore in the village."That's our only ticket to the island."
Hammer and Archive looked at Jim-Bean. "No," he responded to their unspoken question. "I can't float you all across the lake. It's too far."
They embarked on two boats, Archive and Cornwell in one, Jim-Bean and Hammer in the other.
The silence of the lake's unbroken surface was interrupted only by the soft swish of the oars in water.
Jim-Bean peered down into the inky blackness. "There could be anything down there."
As if in response, something long and thin passed beneath the boat, momentarily scraping the keel.
"Jimmy…" Hammer muttered a warning.
A vaguely humanoid head covered in stringy green hair emerged from the surface. The creature's mouth, a round sucker-like orifice ringed with rows of tiny teeth, worked a malefic chant.
Jim-Bean clutched his eyes. "Uh guys? I'm blind."
Hammer responded by spraying bullets into the water. The head disappeared under the surface, only to reappear behind them.
Cornwell fired his grenade launcher, exploding the water in a great shower, but the head appeared a third time off to their left.
"It keeps moving!" said Archive. "I can't get a bead on it!"
"Oh for crying out loud," shouted Hammer. "Just do that thing you do with your symbol!"
Archive shrugged and held the amulet up. "By the power of the Elder Sign I repel thee!"
The head snapped backward as if slapped. The face's expression turned from cold malevolence to fear and it ducked down into the murk, followed shortly thereafter by a stubby green tail.
Jim-Bean rubbed his eyes, blinking. "Finally!"
He could see the island; approximately one hundred yards in diameter and heavily wooded. As they approached, the motes of light disappeared.
They hopped out of their boats – there was no dock – and clambered up onto the island.
Once on the island, the weak moonlight illuminated a path through the bare branches and trunks of the trees, mainly Alder and Willow. This path was some three-feet wide and the ground was carpeted in leaves. All around them was heavy undergrowth.
Jim-Bean cocked his head. He could hear…something. A curious distorted voice, telling him random gibberish. He decided not to share it with the others.
The path came to an end in a mound surrounded by a small clearing. At the center of the mound was a circular wooden door, which looked ancient. Embedded on the door was a strange glyph.
"That symbol…" said Cornwell, shaking with rage.
"It's the one we saw in that other labyrinth," said Archive.
"The one that sick bastard Chubb carved into me brother." The door opened of its own accord and Cornwell charged down the steps leading into darkness.
"Amateurs," muttered Hammer.