The final pathway before him was marked by a deep, red glow. The light flickering with an ominous intensity that sent a shiver down his spine as he felt the joyful atmosphere as whomever was watching was certainly celebrating his progress so far.
Lassim felt that this final trial would be the most difficult of all, but he was ready.
With the three fragments safely in his possession, and three so-called guardians of "the Celestial River", whatever that was, defeated, the final challenge loomed before him.
Lassim took a deep breath and stepped forward, and was once again met with a different situation from the other pathways as this time the entrance to the pathway felt more like a facade as it was actually another portal.
Lassim stepped through this portal and his surroundings changed from the arena to instead finding himself standing at the edge of a wide, flowing river. The water shimmered under a golden and azure light that seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere all at once, casting the entire area in an ethereal glow that highlighted the natural colors of everything instead of drowning it out.
The air here was thick with a very familiar energy that was coming straight from the river, and Lassim felt its power thrumming through the ground beneath his feet. It was pure divine mana and looked more like a flowing collection of never ending stardust rather than water, but he felt the innate connection to the river this time.
It felt like the source of all water mana everywhere, condensed and pure. The river flowed endlessly, its surface so perfect that it resembled the array of constellations that filled the night sky on a clear night.
Along its banks, strange trees with translucent leaves stretched toward the heavens, their branches swaying in a gentle, unfelt breeze.
Above, the sky was a soft gradient of blues and purples, reminiscent of a dawn that never fully broke. The landscape was otherworldly, the kind of beauty that could only exist within a bard’s tale of what a holy land looked like.
"[This place...]" Lassim thought, taking in the surreal beauty around him. "[It feels different. More... alive.]" He had seen many strange and wondrous places so far during his cultivation journey and travel to the Southern Continent, but this was on a different level entirely.
There was a sense of purpose here, as if every element of this environment existed in perfect harmony with the others. It had a certain quality that also felt very familiar, but he couldn’t quite put it into words what exactly it was that he was sensing other than the pure divine mana that everything around him was composed of.
A soft, lilting voice broke through his internal thoughts, "Welcome, challenger." The words were calm, almost soothing, but there was an underlying power in them that made Lassim summon and grip his halberd tighten instinctively.
He turned to see a towering figure gliding and slithering toward him across the river’s surface.
She was tall and elegant, her lower half that of a serpent, covered in shimmering, iridescent scales that caught the light with every movement.
Her upper half was humanoid, with skin as smooth and pale as the purest moonlight. Her long, flowing hair seemed to merge with the water as it trailed behind her, and she wore a delicate, ornate crown made of coral and pearls. Her chest was almost fully exposed, only barely covered with the tiniest sea shells he’d seen.
"[A naga…]" Lassim thought, his eyes narrowing.
Lassim straightened, his resolve hardening. "[Something feels different about her.]" There was a weight to her presence, a sense of authority that the previous guardians had lacked.
He replied, "So, you’re the final guardian?"
The Naga Sorceress regarded him with a calm, knowing smile. "You have done well to make it this far," she said, her voice carrying a musical lilt that belied the predatorial sharpness in her gaze.
She continued, "But your journey ends here. I am the strongest guardian of the celestial river, the place that is the very embodiment of the Water Goddess Ava’s domain. In the unlikely event that you succeed in your attempt to defeat me, you will prove that you are worthy of the greatest prize that awaits."
"Ava’s domain?" Lassim echoed, his curiosity piqued even as he prepared for battle. "You mean this entire place is her domain?"
The Naga Sorceress nodded, her serpentine eyes gleaming with a hint of pride. "Indeed. What you see around you—it is a manifestation of the Water Goddess’s power, her will made reality."
Lassim frowned, his thoughts drifting to what seemed so familiar, "I’ve been in other domains before, haven’t I? The drow lands... that wasn’t just some random dimension. It was Khaalseru’s domain and not just her inner heart world?"
The Naga smiled, a knowing look in her eyes. "You are correct in part. For a mortal cultivator, an inner world is just that—an internal space to store mana, but also a reflection of their power and understanding. But when one ascends to godhood, that inner world transforms. It becomes a domain, a realm that exists within the physical world, shaped by the god’s will and the laws they command."
Lassim’s eyes narrowed as he processed this information. "So, Ava’s domain is... an extension of her inner world? A real, physical place?"
"Precisely," the Naga replied, her voice tinged with admiration for her goddess. "A true god’s domain is as real as any place on Nexaria, yet it is also a reflection of their power and the laws they’ve comprehended. The celestial river is Ava’s creation, governed by her mastery over her water elemental laws. The source of the water elemental laws you too attempt to gain control over."
Lassim’s thoughts were a whirlwind, "So, the elements we practice with our partners are actually universal laws that we spirit warriors study and try to master...?"
"Exactly," the Naga replied, her voice softening. "The elemental laws you wield are a part of the universal balance. Gifting the laws to mortals is what has allowed the current pantheon to fight back and protect this universe. They are what allow the forces of this universe to fight back against the encroaching darkness of the Abyss’ gluttony and greed. Without them, all would be lost."
"Well, I’m definitely going to beat you regardless of us being in Ava’s celestial river. Before I do that, what is this ’greatest prize’ exactly?" Lassim asked.
The Naga’s smile widened slightly, revealing many sharp and jagged teeth that looked like they fit more on a shark than a beauty like her, "A reward beyond measure, intertwined with the laws of fate itself. But only if you prove yourself worthy." She raised a hand, and the water around them began to ripple, the surface breaking apart into a million tiny waves. "Let us see if you have what it takes."
Before Lassim could respond, in a flash, she created dozens of identical copies of herself, each one indistinguishable from the original.
They surrounded Lassim, forming a circle, and began casting spells in unison. Runes unfamiliar to Lassim other than them being part of the water elemental language of Ava’s creation appeared in front of each one between their gesturing hands.
Then, jets of scalding water shot at him from all directions, forcing him to dodge, parry, and block in quick succession.
"[They’re all real? What?]" Lassim thought, gritting his teeth as he tried to defend against the onslaught. He was hit several times from multiple angles as he moved. He swung his halberd, whirling through the air, deflecting some of the blasts of water, but the sheer number of attacks was overwhelming.
For every spell he blocked, two more struck him, leaving him burnt and bruised from the force and heat.
The Naga Sorceress and her copies then began chanting in a language Lassim didn’t understand.
The river he was now on top of without sinking somehow, suddenly began to boil where he was standing. Steam hissed and rose around him, obscuring his vision and scalding his skin. The mist thickened, and he could feel the intense heat searing through his robes, his skin blistering under the assault.
"[Damn she’s relentless]" Lassim thought, wincing as a particularly vicious blast of scalding water struck through the hot mist at his shoulder, nearly dislocating it.
He grunted in pain, but quickly activated his [Lifestream] technique, the soothing water mana flowing through him, knitting his wounds and easing the burns. The pain subsided slightly, but how could he fight back?
The Naga’s laughter rang out, a chilling sound that reverberated through the mist. "Is this all you have, challenger? I expected more from someone who has made it this far. You will need much more strength if you hope to overcome me."
Lassim grit his teeth as he used [Tempest Steps] to dodge away from the continually exploding river beneath each of his steps, his frustration mounting.
He couldn’t afford to be distracted by her taunt—he needed to think. The mirror images moved with perfect synchronization, making it impossible to identify the real Naga and he was obsessed with trying to figure out what weakness she might possibly have.
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