A large swath of orange grass and murky swampland was ahead of the group. Fish-like creatures could be seen jumping out of the water. Frog-like creatures were also seen hopping around. Some were standing on two legs and walking like humans. Some creatures had clear heads, and their brains were visible. The brains inside their heads were beating like a heart.

  "Eugh… why does it pulsate like that?" Avi was disgusted by the creatures' beating brains. This one was walking on two legs. It walked up to Avi. "G-get away! You thing!" The creature licked Avi. "WHY!?!?! We just got here, and the first thing that happens is I get licked!? My luck these days… well, I don't remember any older days, so, uh, just today." The creature then waddled away.

  "Don't pay attention to her…" Keo said, trying to refocus on the already lost objective. "Hey!!" Said Avi angrily. "We should really get moving. We have an artifact to find." Said Rei. Rei walked forward in the same general direction, with Keo following, but reading his scrolls. Avi was skipping behind them, with a gleeful smile on her face. "Idiot…" Said Rei under his breath, looking back at her.

  "So uh, where are we even supposed to go? This is just a big swamp, with these uh… things walking around," Rei questioned. All that he could see ahead of him was more and more swampland. "We should look for some clues. If an artifact is here, there must be hints on where it is hidden. Leave no stone unturned." Keo directed the group to look for clues.

  Avi sat down on the floor and picked up a rock. She put it back down on the ground. She had a smile on her face. "What is she, 5? Look at that stupid smile…," said Rei. "Hey! I'm looking for clues!!!" Avi yelled back to Rei. "I did say leave no stone unturned, look at this." Keo walked over to Rei and Avi and showed them something. "I found this strangely shaped pebble under a rock."

  "Why you!!" Avi whined. "Avi, cut it out. I know you're frustrated. If you need a reminder on why we're here, look up at the sky." Said Keo. Avi looked at the sky. "Yeah… uh… orange! Oh… the storm… yeah, ok, I get it, I'll try to stay focused. Almost forgot the world was ending… heh!" Avi shrugged, with a smile on her face.

  Keo handed the pebble he found to Rei. Rei felt the pebble. "Ew… It's bumpy, and slimy…" He said. Rei held it up to his eye. The sun briefly shone on the pebble. Upon the sunlight shining on it, it was made visible that the pebble was brown. "It's brown, not grey, does that mean anything, Keo?" Rei asked. "We don't know much yet, but I can only say that it might be related to ecology and the brain.

  The three began walking again but were soon stopped by some murky water. Several swimming creatures were going about their lives, and a large, more dangerous swimming creature could be seen deeper in the water. Avi looked straight at its beaming yellow eyes. "We have GOT to find another way around this, right?" She asked. Avi looked to the left. More water. She looked to the right—even more water. Rei stepped into the water. "You guys can swim, right?" He asked. "Yeah." Said Keo. "Mhm," responded Avi. "Just swim fast, so that big guy doesn't attack us."

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  The three began swimming. Avi swam significantly faster than Rei and Keo. Rei tried to catch up while Keo swam slowly, but kept his eye out for the large creature. "Uh… guys…? I think it found us… already." Keo said. The large creature jumped out of the water and nearly ate Avi. "WHAT!!?!? WHY!?!?! I AM NOT YOUR DINNER, YOU STUPID THING!! I tried to swim away as fast as possible so you didn't try to eat me! I promise I don't taste good, you fiend!" Avi yelled nonsense while Rei dove underwater and pursued the enemy.

  “(That’s one big guy… lets hope he’s not too hungry…)” Rei thought to himself, readying his blade. He could see Keo swimming nearby. Avi could be seen floating at the top of the water, her terrified face could barely be made out through the water. Rei dived further down. He held his blade up and attacked the fish-like creature. A small cut was made visible by this attack.

  Keo swam up close and shot some arrows at the enemy. “(Are those arrows hydrodynamic…? Because they didn’t get stopped by the water… whatever… we’ve got a boss to fight!)” Rei continued attacking the enemy, cutting it several times. Keo shot arrows in the places that Rei cut, dealing significant damage.

  The creature grew angry and knocked Keo's bow out of his hand. Keo went swimming after his bow, while the enemy also went after his bow. Rei followed behind, jabbing the enemy. He grabbed onto the enemy's back and began riding it. He kept jabbing with his sword. It reached Keo's bow and swallowed whole. Keo was dumbfounded. He swam up to the surface of the water while Rei kept fighting.

  “(You two are leaving me to fight alone, huh… oh well.)” Rei kept attacking the creature. His attacks went over the already cut areas, causing it significant pain. The enemy turned around and swallowed Rei's blade. “(Crap. There goes a perfectly good sword, a good one too.)” Rei swam up to the top of the water, with the fish chasing him. He reached the surface and explained the situation.

  "Avi… you're the only one with a sword, go down there and fight that thing! HE ATE OUR WEAPONS!! WE CAN'T FIGHT!!" Rei yelled. Keo stayed afloat in disbelief. "Ugh… do I have to..?" complained Avi. "Yes." The other two said to her. "Ok, whatever, let me show you how it's done." Avi dove underwater and charged toward the enemy. Upon reaching it, it grabbed Avi in its mouth. “(Do I really look that much more appetizing than the other two…? Ugh… Let me go!!!!)” The injured creature flung and tossed Avi around in its mouth like a toy. She became extremely dizzy. Rei and Keo could see what was happening from above.

  "That thing is going to kill her! What do we do!? She's helpless! For once… Avi is helpless!!" Before Rei could say another word, a bright golden light appeared underwater. The enemy exploded into guts and blood. Avi floated back up to the surface, along with Rei and Keo's weapons, which were recovered. "Get her to the other side, quick!!" Yelled Keo. The two pushed Avi across the water and laid her out on the grass. Rei began pumping her chest. Eventually, she coughed up a ton of murky water.

  Avi sat up and smiled. "Y-you guys saved me… Oh… what would I ever do without you guys…" She said. "No, you saved us. With that strange magic of yours." Rei hugged Avi. "M-Magic…?" Avi was unaware of the beaming light she created. Keo looked at the two hugging with a smile. “(Looks like they warmed up to each other… and it seems Rei has less of a… dirty mind… than he did previously.)”

  Rei helped Avi up and pointed toward what looked like a cave. "We should get going. We might find some clues there." "Y-yeah, l-lets go!!" Avi responded. The three walked towards the cave.