Omnipotent Reincarnation

Lakeside Encounter [8]

Dar's feet are submerged in the water as he stands perfectly still. He can feel the fish brush against him, and his fingers twitch at the prospect of grabbing onto one of their slimy bodies. He has yet to actually pull anything out of the water, but he has brushed his hand against the slippery creatures.

"Dar! I found something weird!" Someone shouts from nearby.

The shouting startles Dar enough to make him stumble; This movement causes the fish to scatter. Dar groans loudly before looking up at the one responsible for ruining his chances of grabbing a fish from the stream.

Tack is a relatively young man with a clumsy streak. The last time Dar was trying this he was interrupted by Tack screaming his head off when he saw a snake. Dar squints at Tack for a moment before trudging out of the water.

"What is it? Did you find more bones or something?" Dar asks in a gravely voice.

"No, it's not that creepy, but it is a lot stranger." Tack replies in a nervous tone.

Dar raises an eyebrow without asking anymore questions. Tack takes the initiative and begins walking up the forested hill; Dar follows without hesitation. Dar isn't expecting anything crazy, but his eyes widen into saucers when Tack shows him the object in question.

~

"We aren't lost, are we?" Gol asks Cara in a low voice.

The two of them have been walking for a long time, yet they haven't come across anything of interest. They have been aimlessly wandering through the forested hills without any way to guide their journey.

"No. I don't think so, anyway." Cara answers his question nonchalantly.

Gol nods curtly before turning his gaze back to the forest ahead of him. His feet are starting to ache a little from walking across the rough forest floor, but he doesn't feel complaining will do him any good.

The faint sound of flowing water reaches Gol's ears. His eyes narrow as he recalls his last encounter with flowing water and a wolf. Gol takes a few hurried steps up the crest of the hill, and gasps softly. He can make out the wide blue expanse of a lake just down the hill, and two clear streams feed into it.

"There's a lake here!" Gol calls out to Cara over his shoulder.

"What? Really?" Cara exclaims in surprise.

The two of them sprint up and over the hill before coming to a halt at the edge of the green tinged waters. They both look into the depths of the water with wide curious eyes. Green algae coats the rocks and silt beneath the water; Flashes of scaled fish can be seen moving through the lake's depths.

Gol smiles widely before taking several steps back. He takes a few quick breaths before sprinting forward; Cara yelps in shock as she sees Gol's body go flying through the air beside her, and land in the lake with a splash. The water sprays her slightly, but she isn't upset about it.

"How is it?" Cara calls out to Gol when his head pops above the surface.

"It's great! Can you swim?" Gol asks with a teasing smirk.

Cara is unsure for a moment before realizing that she was already taught how to swim by God's grace. That innate knowledge came with all her other information, yet the question had given her pause. Cara rolls her eyes at him before leaping into the water herself.

The cool lake water fills Cara's nostrils and ears as she plunges butt first into the lake. She is a little overwhelmed by the feeling of being submerged, but that sensation fades when she opens her eyes. Fish swim past her face with colorful reflective scales, and algae sways in the swirling underwater breeze. Her focus is pulled away when she feels her lungs burn for air.

Gol's mild concern fades to relieved joy as he watches Cara poke her head above the water. She has a wide grin on her soaked face, and Gol can tell she's enjoying herself immensely. Cara takes several breaths before speaking; Her legs beat at the water in order to keep her afloat.

"It's beautiful down there! Did you see the plants?" Cara raves about the lake.

Gol scoffs at her words before shaking his head a little; The act is more difficult when you're treading water.

"The algae? It's just slimy muck!" Gol laughs in reply.

"It's not just muck!" Cara retorts with a splash of water to his face.

The two of them go back and forth with water being used as weaponry; Their playful interaction is cut short when an unfamiliar voice calls out to them from across the lake.

"Hello!" Tack greets the pair innocently.

This is followed by Dar smacking the back of Tack's head rather harshly, and Tack giving him an irritated frown. The two of them bicker with one another, however neither Gol nor Cara can hear the contents of their argument.

Gol looks at them with an unsure expression. Cara swims back to the shore before looking at the pair of strangers; One of them looks nice enough, but the other looks unruly and brash.

"Should we go over to say hello?" Cara asks Gol as he swims over.

"Of course. We need to stick together." Gol's conviction elicits a nod of agreement from Cara.

Gol picks back up his sturdy branch, and the pair of them begin walking around the lake's edge.

~

"You idiot! We were supposed to watch them until we were sure they weren't hostile!" Dar berates his compatriot.

Tack gives the older guy a disapproving frown whilst he rubs the back of his now sore head.

"They're people just like us. Can't you quit acting tough?" Tack replies coolly.

Dar looks ready to blow up with how red his face is, but the man keeps a handle on his emotions. Being born into this world with the responsibility to create the future generation has been getting to Dar, and he realizes his actions haven't been helping anyone.

"Alright. I get it, and I'm sorry." Dar admits fault in a hushed voice.

Tack smiles slightly at Dar before giving him a pat on the back. The two of them glance across the lake, and see their visitors approaching at a leisurely pace.

"It's fine, but don't hit me." Tack says quietly.

Dar gives a nod in understanding. Tack begins walking, and Dar follows him to meet their guests.