2 Chapter two: The evil water God of the lake

Shiro was still groggy when he finish up gathering up those daemon parts back to the crater, with the help of the villagers of the daemons explorers.

Arrived at a village in the morning, two days later, with Keith and the others, trying to find the crystal's shards which are scattered all across the planet.

Let's hope just before the crack of dawn. That the shards are not taken from the evil hands of the Galra empire, Shiro was less enthusiastic about getting up before the sun, but since this was the path he had chosen, this was what he would have to do as the Gang was on a journey to get the Crystal back together again.

"Jeez...you'd think that of all things, crystal shards would be easy to find, way out here in Altea."

Shiro stood upon the grassy hilltop, surveying the land with Keith, Lance, Hunk, Pidge, and Kiaion. Stats had been sent on ahead to see if he could find anything from the air.

"Hey don't worry, we'll find them, before whatever daemon or galra who has them!?" Keith said.

"Well, let's just hope it doesn't come to that". Shiro said, then turned around to Hunk, Pidge, and Kiaion. "Are you sure you guys are okay tagging along with us!?"

"My village is attacked plus my dad suggested it!?" Hunk said. "And her brother was nowhere to be found after my dad was captured!?" Pidge nods slightly and remains silent.

"You sure, you guys don't look enthusiastic!" Keith said, "Plus we know a little bit much about the crystal, You'll only benefit from coming along".

"Yes... So let us take it one step at a time... For now, we'll gather the quintessence Crystal fragments". Shiro said. " If we keep gathering them... We'll find a way to defeat the empire! And Zarkon and...Adam!"

"Don't worry Shiro, we will. After all, we are bumming down the road, looking for adventure and excitement" Lance said.

Shiro looked up at him and fixed him with a hard stare. "It's something that doesn't come and kill us." There was a bitter note in his voice.

"Stats!"

The group turned to see Stats, floating toward them before he landed next to Shiro.

"Stats!" Shiro exclaimed. "Did you find anything?"

"Stats!" Stats said

"There's a really big lake, not too far from here!" Shiro questioned. "And you saw a huge shrine in the middle of it, too!"

"Stats." Stats answered.

"A huge shrine?" Keith said as he stood up, "Is it where we find the shard!"

"Maybe," Shiro said. "There's the only way to know."

Soon, the group arrived at a large ditch, filled with dead trees and destroyed huts. People were going about, tossing the wreckage away.

"Yeesh..." Keith muttered. "Talk about your fixer-uppers."

"Must have been quite the storm to do this much damage," Hunk surmised.

"How awful!" Shiro said, sadly...and at that moment, the villagers all looked up as they saw several more people...carrying a palanquin, ringing bells, and holding white flags as they passed.

"Oh, dear...it's the sacrificial palanquin, again," said one of the villagers.

"Let's just hope this one will be able to stop the floods, this year," replied another.

"Whose child could it be, this time?" asked a third.

"What?!" Shiro questioned. "A child sacrifice?!!"

"That's seriously messed up," Lance exclaimed in disgust.

Among the passers-by was a man with bushy eyebrows and a mustache. He seemed to be a bit more finely dressed than the other villagers. He had his head bowed low and a seeming frustrated expression on his face, as well.

"The village headman," muttered one of the villagers. "This must be even harder on him, considering the Water God's arrow landed on his roof, this time."

"It cannot be helped," whispered another. "After all, many other children had been sacrificed before his son."

"Headman," said one of the villagers following after him. "Please, perhaps ye should reconsider-"

"Enough," said the headman. "There is nothing else that can be done...if I must sacrifice my son to appease the Water God, then so be it. It is only natural..."

"Oh?"

The villagers all stopped and gasped upon seeing Keith blocking their path.

"How do you know that your 'Water God' isn't just a dark daemon in disguise?" asked Keith.

"A boy!" cried one of the villagers in fright.

"Not just any boy, a half-daemon!" Said the headman. The villagers' gaps by the statement.

"So you can tell!" Keith said.

"Quick! Get the spears!!" shouted the headman, but then, Shiro came running up along with the others.

"Wait! Hang on!" he cried as he stood before Keith with his arms opened defensively. "Hold everything!"

"We mean you no harm, good citizens!" Lance added. "Please, allow us to be of service to you. If you will let us, we will gladly exorcise this daemon for you."

The villagers all gasped silently and muttered amongst themselves.

"Perhaps we should take him up on his offer," suggested one of them.

"Nonsense!" barked the headman. "Do not be swayed by their lies! They're charlatans!" He then looked away. "If we incur the wrath of the Water God, then our village will not survive the next flood!" He gritted his teeth and screwed his eyes shut. "Especially now, since it is my son's turn to be sacrificed! How could I ever face the parents of the children who had gone before him?!"

"Wait!" Shiro spoke up. "Sir, what we're saying is the truth. We've slain a good deal of daemons before! We can help you! You don't have to resort to sacrificing your son!"

"...And you are?" asked the headman.

"Uh...Takashi, sir," Shiro answered before he bowed his head. "Takashi Shirogane".

"Hmm...are you a Samurai, girl?" asked the headman.

"Well...you could say that," Shiro said. "I guess I'm more of a Samurai-in-training or something."

"Then you should know better than to go fraternizing with frauds," the headman said as he glared at Keith. "They might turn on you."

Keith growled at the headman, his hair bristling slightly...but then Shiro grabbed his shoulder and squeezed it, causing him to calm down.

"Now, out of the way! We must deliver the sacrificial offering before sunset tonight!" the headman demanded before he and his procession continued onward. As they left, Shiro gasped silently as he noticed someone peeking out of the palanquin. It appeared to be a boy with a pale mask...but as quickly as he opened the curtain, he quickly disappeared back inside the palanquin.

"...You know...a sacrifice is one thing," Pidge began, "but even I have to admit that this is far too cruel."

The group was sitting around a small bonfire, discussing what had just transpired.

"I mean...that man acted as if he wanted to sacrifice his son," said Pidge.

"He did seem quite upset about us attempting to interfere, didn't he?" asked Lance.

Shiro didn't say anything, but then he looked over at Keith, who sat with his arms crossed. Shiro's lips tightened before he put his hand on his shoulder, causing him to glance at him.

"...I'm okay, Shiro," he said. "Really."

"Are you sure?" asked Shiro.

"Yeah," Keith replied. "It's not like I haven't heard that kind of stuff before, anyway."

"If you say so," Shiro said as he pulled his hand away. "Anyway, guys...I noticed something else. When I palanquin...I noticed that-"

"The boy was wearing a mask?" asked Hunk. "I know. I saw it, too."

"You did?" Shiro asked in surprise.

"Most likely it's part of the sacrificial rite," said Lance.

"I-I see," Shiro murmured.

"Doesn't make it any less unsettling, though," he thought.

"So, what do you think we should do?" Keith asked as he tossed a stone up and down in his hand. "Just leave it be?" He then flicked the pebble away in the grass...and not long after, there was a loud yelp, causing the others to gasp. "And just how long are you gonna be hiding, you nosy little punk?!"

"Here!" said the stranger...who was soon revealed to be a child of ten years with a cat deamon. He had his hair tangled and messy and he had thick, bushy eyebrows.

"A kid?" Keith asked.

"You can take these treasures," said the boy, "but only if you do what I ask!"

"My goodness!" Lance exclaimed as he picked up an emerald necklace. "Such high-quality treasure!"

"And such fine silk, too," Pidge added as she looked at the drapery. "I'm sure it must be very expensive!"

BONK!! Keith, without a single warning, bopped the child on his head.

"Ow!" he cried. "What was that for?!"

Keith soon pulled him into a headlock and continued to punch his fist against the boy's skull, causing him to cry out in pain.

"Stop it! Let go of me!!" he shouted.

"Keith, let him go!!" Shiro shouted. "He's just a little boy!!"

"Why should I?" asked Keith. "He needs to be taught who's boss!"

Shiro sided as he grabs Keith's hands to unleash the boy who apologizes for being bossy, even if Shiro kept telling him that he had nothing to apologize for.

Later that night, at a large, misty lake...a huge boat approached the pier, where the boy in the mask sat, waiting for it to get closer.

However, not too far away, the other boy with the bushy eyebrows.

"The human sacrifice is transported to the Water God's shrine on a boat," he said. "If we follow it, then we'll be able to attack the Water God when he surfaces before he can get the chance to devour his sacrifice." He then looked back at the others. "Is that understood?"

However, it seemed that they were more focused on the treasures that Lance was holding.

"These aren't stolen goods!" Lance said.

"But I'm positive, these are stolen goods. I just know it". Shiro said.

"Does it matter?" asked Lance.

"It should matter to a monk, Lance!" Keith chided.

"Hey! Are you guys listening?!" the boy questioned, getting their attention.

"By the way, I meant to ask," Keith said. "What's your name? And do your parents know you're out here?"

The boy tensed before he looked away.

"My name is of no importance to the likes of you," he said, only for Keith to hit him on the head, once more. "Ow!! Will you stop that?!"

"Who the hell says you're calling the shots?" Keith asked. "We didn't even agree to help you yet, brat!"

"Keith! Seriously" Shiro responded, "Sometimes you have the personality of a child!"

Hey...we have to hurry!" the boy urged. "If we don't, then the village will be destroyed!!" He looked down to the ground, balling his fists at his sides. "The boy who's going to be sacrificed...is actually...!"

"...Wait for a second," Shiro muttered before he gasped. "You're the son of the village headman, aren't you?!"

The boy gasped while Lance came to look him over.

"Come to think," said the boy, "their eyebrows are identical."

"And the same attitude," Keith grumbled.

"...Then...if you're supposed to be the sacrifice," Shiro began, "then who's the boy who was in the palanquin?!"

The boy gulped...but then he sighed in defeat.

"My name is Eugene," he said. "It's true...I am the headman's son. In my village, whenever a white-fletched arrow landed on the roof of a villager's house, my father would attempt to console the parents and force them to endure for the sake of the village...but when the arrow landed on our mansion...my Father told me to run and hide while another child- a servant's son, no less- was chosen in my stead."

"...A parent making a foolish attempt to protect his son," Lance said, solemnly.

"Heck, as much as I hate the guy, I can understand where he's coming from, but some people are just born fools," Keith said.

"I get it, now," Shiro said. "You want to rescue the other boy, right?"

"Yes," Eugene nodded. "He is my best friend. We grew up together."

"Is that right?" Pidge asked as she approached the group with Hunk...wearing daemon explorer armor while Kiaion sat on her shoulder. "Well, I hope you have a boat ready. We'll try our best with the amount that you paid us."

"If this human-devouring Water God is allowed to live, we got a reputation to hold. We take care of him alone." Hunk said.

"I'm sure this isn't just about payment or get rid of the daemon," said Lance while Keith grumbled under his breath.

"...Water God or dark daemon, I don't know what's what," Keith replied, "but I don't tolerate any kind of creature that likes to snack on kids! So let's get goin'!"

"That's the Keith I know and love!" Shiro exclaimed, but then he covered his mouth.

"Wait, what did you say?" asked Keith.

"Nothing!" Shiro answered with a blush.

"Uh...I'm pretty sure he just said 'know and love'," Hunk whispered.

"Me, too," Pidge concurred, softly.

"I heard it, as well," Lance added.

"Hello?!" questioned Eugene. "We're wasting time!!"

The group sat in a small riverboat with Kiaion pulling it along in front of them. Pidge and Hunk sat on the large lion's back, their weapons at the ready. As they made their way across the lake, a shroud of mist soon began to form around them, clouding their vision.

"This mist," Pidge whispered. "I sense something coming up ahead. Get ready for anything."

"Right," said Eugene.

"...So, Shiro," Keith said. "What was that you said, earlier?"

"Oh, come on, can you let it go?" asked Shiro in exasperation.

"I'm just curious!" Keith replied. "What did you say?!"

"Forget it!!" Shiro barked.

"Ugh, fine!" Keith groaned.

"Stats?" asked Stats in a hushed tone. "Stats!"

"You're only seeing it, now?" Lance whispered. "Well...There's definitely something going on between those two, don't you think?"

"Stats?" Stats whispered. "Stats, Stats!"

"Hey! What are you two mumbling about over there?!" Keith questioned.

"Yeah, don't act like we're not here!" Shiro added.

"Nothing, nothing!" Lance and Stats replied while Eugene rolled his eyes.

"Grownups..." he muttered.

"Hey!" Pidge called to the others. "Look alive, everybody! There's something up ahead!"

In the mist, the group could just barely make out the shape of a gate.

"There it is!" Eugene exclaimed. "The Water God's shrine!"

"the same shrine that Stats saw this afternoon". Shiro said.

"Good," Keith said while he held his Dagger. "Which means that whatever's behind this, its lair will just beyond this shrine."

Soon...a huge castle came into view.

"That's a shrine?" asked Keith. "Even the shrine of lions isn't that huge!"

"The sacrifice may already be inside," Lance surmised, which caused Eugene to gasp in horror.

"Quick! We have to hurry!!" the boy urged. "If they figure out he's a substitute, the village could be decimated!!" He then noticed two strange men dressed in the traditional garb of castle guards...but these men had reddened skin and sharp teeth, and if one didn't know better, it almost looked like they had crab claws for hands.

"Gatekeepers...!!" Eugene whispered before he ducked his head. "Quick, get down before they see you!"

"We got to think of a plan!" Shiro said.

Keith scoffed. "And just what will that accomplish?" He soon leaped out of the boat in front of the guards, who growled as they charged with their spears...a futile attempt.

"Keith...Ugh!" Shiro shouted as it wasn't long before the half-daemon effortlessly dispatched of them.

"Whoa...so strong...!" Eugene whispered in awe.

"That's Keith for you...Ok, change of plans, we are going in, weapons blazing!" Shiro said.

Inside the shrine, two guards that had the faces of river carp approached the main quarters...dragging with them the young masked boy. He quietly walked in between, putting up no struggle or effort to escape...but he subtly shivered in fear.

"O revered Water God," said one of the guards. "We have brought you the sacrifice."

"...Boy...step forward," said an ominous voice, causing the child to hesitantly step inside, prostrating himself before a man with pale skin and wearing magnificent clothes similar to the kinds that medieval lords would wear. Beside him stood a trident, standing on a pedestal of coral.

"Hmm?" the Water God hummed as he narrowed his eyes...staring at the child's hands. "Your hands...they are filthy and calloused...you are not the village headman's son."

The boy gasped beneath his mask in horror.

"What is the meaning of this?!" the Water God questioned. "Did they believe they could deceive me, the almighty Water God?!!"

"Please, great Water God!!" cried the boy. "Spare the village and devour me, instead!!"

Suddenly, the Water God's arm stretched out...and grabbed the boy's head, lifting him above the floor.

"Surely you jest," said the Water God. "There is no forgiveness for this. How else would I keep my dignity as a god?!" He tightened his grip, causing the mask on the boy's face to crack...and soon, his skull would meet the same fate. "The bloody scraps of your body will swirl in the flood I set loose upon your village, brat!"

However, before he could make due on his threat...he heard the sound of encroaching footsteps.

"Get the hack OUTTA MY WAY!!!"

With a roar, Keith punched his way through many more guards, quickly disarming them of their spears. Not too far from him, Shiro, Lance, Hunk, and Pidge also jumped into the fray, beating down as many guards as they could.

"How dare you impede on the sacred ground?!" yelled one of the guards, only for Keith to punch him right between his eyes.

"Ah, shaddup!" the half-daemon boy spat. However, as the guard hit the floor...his body disintegrated into foam and out scuttled a little river crab.

"Well, I don't think it's necessary to fight these things, is it?" asked Shiro as he and the others followed after Keith.

"I don't think so!" Lance replied as he whacked two more guards into the lake...causing them to shrink down into carp. "See? They're just carp and river crab, transformed by some magic spell!"

"Stats!" Stats called as he flies after them with Eugene following after.

Soon, the group arrived at the throne room...where the Water God held the boy in his clutches.

"Oh, no!" cried Eugene.

"M...Master Eugene...!" the boy whispered. "You're here...!!"

"Teo," Eugene shouted. "Hang on! We're here to save you!!!"

"Well, well," said the Water God. "The headman's real son was here all along, eh?"

"Yes! Now that you know, release Teo! I am your human sacrifice!" Eugene said.

"That's enough, kid," Keith said as he pushed the boy out of the way. "Didn't you hire us to take care of this chump for ya?"

"Huh?" Eugene muttered.

"He's right, stand back," Shiro said. "This won't take long." He then drew his sword.

"'Water God', my ass. Just what the hell kind of a dark daemon are you?!" Keith said, with that, Keith and Shiro charged at the Water God...who smirked as he grabbed the trident at his side, and with a single thrust, he pushed them back. "What the...?!"

"What he do!" Shiro said.

"Foolish boys," said the Water God. "Do you think your blades could withstand the power of my holy relic, the Trident of Seas?!"

"Why you...!!" Keith growled as he attempted to charge again, but this time, he was quickly held back by Lance.

"Hold on, Keith!" He cried. "This doesn't look good. That trident he holds is no joke. I've seen my fair share of holy relics, and that thing's nothing to laugh at!"

"So what?!" Keith questioned.

"But...if what he's holding is a sacred weapon," Shiro began, "then does that mean that this isn't a dark daemon we're dealing with?! He might be an actual Water God?!!"

"So what!" Keith spat. "Even if he is a god, an evil one's no different than a dark daemon! If you ask me, it's worse!"

"It might be worse," Pidge began, "but if we bring his fiery, we could bring out about more suffering!"

"She's right, Keith," Lance said. "No matter what, the gods are not to be messed with!"

"Hmph!" the Water God scoffed. "Too late for that, I'm afraid foolish mortals".

"Uh-oh..." Shiro muttered with dread.

"Oh, what are you gonna do, you phony?" asked Keith. "Curse us?!"

The Water God chuckled before he held up the Trident of Seas...and outside, the waters of the lake began to churn and swirl. Then, as he slammed the bottom end of the trident on the floor, suddenly, the group found themselves shielding their eyes from a flash of light. As Keith opened his eyes...his breath came out in a small cloud of bubbles as he saw the shrine up above the water's surface!

"What the...we're at the bottom of the lake?!" thought Keith. "Wait...where's Shiro?!"

It didn't take him very long to find him, for he found Shiro, Stats, and Eugene being swept about in the current, all of them struggling to hold their breath.

Keith let out an alarmed grunt before he began to swim for all he was worth, fighting against the push of the current. He reached his hand out to Shiro, just as he opened his eyes and attempted to do the same...but then, just as they were about to reach each other, Shiro's eyes went wide before he let out a garbled shout.

"Behind you!!" he thought...but alas, his words came out in a burst of bubbles. Keith, unable to hear her warning, was struck in the back of the head by a rock. He let out a gasp of hair before his eyes slowly closed and he began to sink to the bottom of the lake.

"Keith, no!!" Shiro cried out, mentally as he attempted to swim after him...but then, to his surprise and utter horror, the current began to push his back to the surface. "No! Wait! Keith's going to drown!!"

Suddenly, Shiro found himself lying on a wooden floor, he coughed as he tried to regain his breath, then looked up and saw that he was back inside the Water God's throne room.

"Huh?" he muttered as he looked around. "I-I'm back in here, again?!"

"Hahahahahaha...!" the Water God chuckled as he began to approach her...his eyes glowing red and fangs showing through an eerie smile. "My sacrifice if you don't mind, Boy..."

Shiro gasped before he held the unconscious Eugene protectively in his arms while Stats whimpered and hid behind him.

"Stay back!" he shouted as he gripped his sword. "I mean it!!"

As the Water God began to advance, Teo, timid as he was, snuck behind him and grabbed a nearby lamp, then yelled as he charged at him from behind, preparing to strike him in the back of his head...only for the Water God to strike him down with one of his elastic arms, causing him to trip and smash his mask, completely.

"Foolish brat..." the Water God hissed as he turned to glare at him. Shiro gasped, knowing that this was his one chance. He grabbed his sword and aimed at the Water God, then summon a single slice without hesitation...but the Water God's eyes narrowed as he turned to face him.

"What use is a measly little sword to you?" asked the Water God as he easily caught the projectile...but the moment he did, he screamed as he felt his arm suddenly cut away, revealing half of the limb.

"I...I got him!" Shiro exclaimed.

"This can't be...!!" the Water God hissed. "A mere sword, able to damage me, a god?!!"

"Stats!" Stats shouted.

"Right!" Shiro nodded before he ran over to Teo. "Hey, can you run?!"

"Y...yes, sir," Teo nodded.

"Stats!" Stats shouted as he shakes Eugene's head, causing him to gasp as he woke up.

"You fools...!!" growled the Water God. "You shall rue this day!!!"

"RUN!!!" Shiro yelled as he and the children got out of there, faster than lightning.

"Teo!" Eugene said as he glanced at the boy. "Are you okay?!"

"I'm fine," said Teo, who was revealed to have beady little eyes and a small mouth. "What about you, Eugene?"

"Even though that was really dangerous," said Shiro, "that was some quick thinking, Teo!"

"Oh, I did nothing, really," said Teo. "Your sword was what really saved us."

"Thank you," replied a flattered Shiro. "Uh...you can take your mask off, now, though."

"I did take it off!" Teo cried.

"Oh," Shiro muttered.

"We'll just have to find a place to hide! Until Keith comes back, we have to hold out!" he thought before he glanced down at the water. "please be alive!...Keith"

Meanwhile, somewhere off the lake's shore...

"Hunk, Hunk?"

Lance sat near an unconscious Hunk while Kiaion stared at his friend, meowing worriedly. Lance quietly bent down and placed his ear against his chest, only to gasp silently.

"It sounds like he breathed in some water," he surmised. "But I don't want to but it's the only thing I can do..." He took Hunk by the face and slowly closed the distance between them, preparing to cover his lips with his own...until...slap!

"Just WHAT do you think you're doing?!" Hunk questioned as he sat up while Lance sported a red mark on his face.

"You misunderstood my intentions," Lance said. "I meant to save your life. Nothing more!"

"Yeah, right," Hunk sneered before she looked around. "Now where are we?"

"Outside the Water God's shrine, it seems," Lance answered. "When I awoke, I was out here, as well." Suddenly, he spotted something floating on the water's surface...or rather, someones. "Ah! It's Keith and Pidge!!"

"Oh, no!" Hunk cried as he saw Pidge, back to her fox form and Keith floating motionlessly on the lake...being carried by two large goldish with black hair, decorated with beautiful flowers.

"Guys, help me up!" She said as Hunk and Lance dragging Keith onto the rock.

"Worry not," said one of the goldfish. "Your friend is safe."

"Oh!" Lance exclaimed. "Was it you who saved us? If so, you have our gratitude."

"Aye, it was indeed us that saved you," said the other goldfish.

"You have done us a great kindness," Lance began, "but are you sure it's all right for you to do such a thing? Judging by your appearances, you seem to be attendants of the Water God, are you not?"

"We are indeed attendants of the Water God," said the goldfish. "However...the one that is currently occupying the shrine is an impostor!"

"What!" Lance questioned. "An impostor?!"

"You mean he really is a dark daemon?!" asked Hunk.

"But I don't understand," Lance said. "There was nothing darkness about his aura...not to mention that sacred weapon he held..."

"Once, he was but a mere water sprite who inhabited the lake, just as we did," said one of the goldfish. "He was an attendant of the true Water God...but one day, through trickery, he usurped our great deity and imprisoned, stole the Trident of Seas, and took the god's place." She pointed to a nearby mountaintop. "There...that is where the true Water God is being held prisoner."

Soon, the two goldfish started to cry.

"Please, you must help us," they wept.

"We understand now. We must rescue the real Water God". Pidge said.

"As long as it ain't too hard, I guess..."

Pidge gasped as she saw Keith staggering to his feet.

"Keith!" She exclaimed. "You're all right!"

"Are you sure you can manage?" asked Lance.

"I'm just fine," Keith said. "Look...Lance, you take Hunk and Pidge and go free the real Water God. I'm going back to the shrine!"

"Are you sure about that?" asked Hunk. "Perhaps we should ask the real Water God for his counsel, first."

"Screw that!" Keith shouted. "Shir's in danger, and no matter what, he always comes first!!"

With that said, he soon bounded off, headed back to the shrine.

"Hang in there, Shiro," he said. "I'm coming!"

As for Lance, Hunk, and Pidge, they blinked as they watched the half-daemon race off.

"Ok, I am not quite sure what happened!" Pidge said.

"I think that Keith might be...enamored with Shiro, isn't he?" Lance answered

"Obviously," Hunk nodded.

Meanwhile, the fake Water God hissed as he came lumbering out of his throne room, tightly gripping the Trident of Seas as his eyes flashed red and he opened his mouth...revealing a forked tongue that slipped in and out.

"That damn man...I'll devour him, first!" he declared before he soon jumped into the lake and swam to wherever Shiro and the children were hiding.

The fake Water God staggered through the shrine corridors, his bony left arm hanging limply and bloody as he gave off an ominous hiss.

"Wound my arm, eh, little worm?!" he questioned as he looked around. "Where are you hiding...?"

In a castle storage shed, Shiro took a quick peek out the door, only to gasp as he saw the encroaching impostor, forcing him to quickly shut it. He grabbed his sword, preparing to attack the moment he got too close while Stats, Eugene, and Teo stood behind him.

"He's coming closer...!" Eugene whispered.

"Shh!" Shiro shushed.

"I have to keep these kids safe...at least until Keith and the others gets here!" he thought.

The group stilled as they heard the footsteps grow louder...but then...there was silence.

"W...what happened?" asked Teo.

"Did he leave?" Eugene asked.

"I...I don't know," Shiro whispered...but then, he felt a chill go down his spine, causing him to slowly turn his head up toward the ceiling...and he gasped as he saw the fake Water God's head, peeking from above the rafters!

"AAH!! THERE HE IS!!!" Teo shrieked.

"What!!" Shiro questioned.

"Heheheheh..." the fake Water God chuckled, sinisterly. "Fools...you will not escape!"

"Quick! Let's get out of here!!" Shiro cried as he and the boys turned to open the door...but it wouldn't budge!

"Hey! What's going on?!" Eugene questioned. "The door is stuck!!"

Outside...it looked like something had coiled around the shed, squeezing it tightly. It almost looked like...a serpent's body.

"Stats, Stats, Stats." Stats shouted.

"Bastard!" the impostor deity hissed. "I'll kill you, first!"

"Stay back!!" Shiro shouted as he stood up, holding his sword to the ready, but before he could attack, the fake Water God' bloody appendage grabbed his ankle and pulled his down, causing him to fall to the floor!

"Stats!!" Stats shouted.

"Watch out!!" yelled Eugene as he pointed at the Trident of Seas, the spearhead headed right toward him!

"DIE!!!" the fake Water God shouted, causing Shiro to gasp before he screwed his eyes shut.

"KEITH, HELP ME!!!" he yelled mentally...and then, KRASH!!! The door suddenly burst open, and Keith came barreling in, holding the trident back with his bare hands!

"Back...OFF!!!" he yelled as he pushed the halberd away, even though it caused his hands to burn.

"Keith! You came!" Shiro exclaimed.

"You, again...!" hissed the fake Water God. "I thought I drowned you, deamon boy."

Keith said. "I ain't easy to kill off. As for you, you impostor, you finally show your true colors, huh?"

"Wait...impostor?" thought Shiro.

"Shiro," Keith said as he glanced back at her. "You and the kids okay?"

"We're fine!" Shiro answered before he turned to look at the boys and Stats...who were all sporting large bumps on their heads from when Keith came crashing through the door. "Boys, you okay?"

"Stats!" Stats groaned.

"Uh...my bad, Stats," Keith said, sheepishly, but then he noticed that the fake Water God was slipping away. "Hey! Where do you think you're going?!"

"Keith, he's outside! Hurry!" Shiro called, prompting the half-daemon to run out onto the bridge. He looked around, his hand on the hilt of his dagger, preparing to strike at any moment.

"Where'd that fraud get to?!" Keith questioned.

"Keith, watch out!!" Shiro cried, but her call came too late, for Keith suddenly found himself getting grabbed by the ankle and dragged into the lake!

"Keith!!" Shiro cried out, just as the half-daemon emerged from the water, his body wrapped in the giant body of a white serpent.

"What the hell?!" Keith questioned as he looked up...and he gasped as he saw the fake Water God, his torso connected to the snake's tail.

"You'll pay for calling me an impostor, half-daemon!" he hissed as he began to squeeze Keith, who grunted as he tried to get free.

"I heard the whole thing!" he said. "If I take that trident away from you, you'll just be another scaly water sprite, won't you?!"

"Then just try and take it!!" the fake Water God shouted as he tried to hit Keith with the trident, only for the half-daemon to duck at the last second. The spearhead ended up hitting the bridge that Keith once stood, causing it to turn into bubbles of foam!

"What the-?!" Shiro questioned. "It turned into sea foam!"

"Heheheh..." the fake Water God snickered. "My turn now, little boy!"

Keith scoffed as he cracked his knuckles. "Go ahead and take your turn, then...at least I'll have the chance to rip you apart!" On that, he began to push the impostor's coils away!

"Not so fast!!" the fake Water God shouted before he dove into the water, taking Keith with him!

"Keith!!" Shiro cried as he looked around...but he could not find him anywhere beneath the surface. "Oh, no, no, no!! Where is he?!!"

Down below, Keith grunted as he struggled to get himself free from the fake Water God's grasp, but the more he struggled, the tighter the impostor squeezed his body...and the tighter he squeezed, the harder it became for Keith to hold his breath.

Meanwhile, not too far from the shrine...

"Our beloved Water God is trapped inside the cave at the top of this boulder," said one of the goldfish sprites.

"Don't worry," Lance assured. "We'll have the Water God freed in no time."

Soon, he, Hunk, Pidge, and Kiaion began to make their way to the top of the cave where the Water God was sealed away.

"Are you going to leave Keith to deal with the Water God alone?" Hunk said.

"Keith alone will be more than enough". Lance replied, "together with Shiro!"

"Really!" Pidge said.

"Yes!" Lance replied. "I noticed during our travels. A while back, before we met you, Keith, Shiro and I were dealing with a Galra that was kidnapping young girls for their evil purposes, it was a struggle for Keith to take down until Shiro arrived at the right time to take it down."

"The same thing happened with the daemon that was living in the castle." Hunk pointed out. "Even if the odds were stacked against them, they managed to defeat it."

"Keith might talk a lot," Lance said, "but in truth, I've never seen someone stood up for, especially Shiro."

"...I can see why," Hunk said. "Shiro's kindhearted and caring. But pretty good to handle a sword, If I were him, I'd be protective of him, too".

Soon, they arrived at the top of the cave, and that's when they found something on the boulder that sealed the entrance: a sealing tag.

"I see," Lance mused. "A sealing spell scroll. This must be where the real Water God is being kept."

"Is someone there?" A mysterious but female voice said.

"Huh?!" Hunk said, "is a young woman's voice".

"Who is there?" She says.

"So this Water God is actually a Water Goddess!" Lance realized. "Are you all right in there?!"

"I am fine!" the Water Goddess answered from behind the seal. "Please, you must hurry and undo the seal!"

"Of course, Your beautifully...I meam your holiness!" Lance exclaimed before he pulled the sutra away...and soon after, the boulder began to glow before it completely shattered!

Lance, Pidge, and Hunk shielded their eyes, waiting for the dust to clear...and as they opened them, they gasped upon seeing a woman inside the cave, dressed in magnificent silk robes and her hair was decorated with coral and other jewelry!

"It's...it's her!" Pidge exclaimed.

"The real Water Goddess!" Lance said...but at that moment, they noticed she was about as big as a newborn kitten.

"She's...quite tiny for a goddess, though," Hunk noted.

"Indeed, she is," Lance concurred.

Down in the lake...Keith struggled to get free from the impostor Water God's coils.

"Hahahaha!!" the fraud laughed. "I'll carve you, slowly, and then leave you for the fishes to eat!!"

"Ugh...dammit...!" Keith thought as the last few bubbles of air seeped through his clenched teeth. "If I don't get outta here, quick, I'll drown!!"

"Keith!!" Shiro called out as he looked down at the lake below, but saw no sign of the half-daemon.

"Stats!" Stats cried as he looked around, as well.

"You don't think he drowned, do you?!" asked Eugene.

"No way!" Shiro answered. "Keith's strong! I know he wouldn't go out, that easily!!"

"Please, Keith...please be okay!!" he thought as he bit his lip, his worry growing steadily stronger as he watched the surface of the water, hoping for any sign of life.

"Shiro."

Shiro gasped as he looked up and saw Lance, Hunk, Pidge, and Kiaion headed toward them with the Water Goddess sitting in the former's hand.

"Lance! Hunk! Pidge!" Shiro exclaimed.

"Are you all right?!" asked Hunk.

"Where's Keith?!" Lance inquired.

"He got dragged down into the water!" Shiro answered. "He hasn't come back yet!"

"What?!" Pidge questioned.

Down beneath the water, Keith grunted as he struggled to get free of the Fake Water God's coils...but then, he opened his mouth, bubbles of air escaping his mouth before his body finally went limp.

"Heheheheh...!" laughed the impostor. "You're finished!"

Shiro gasped as he saw some bubbles forming on the water's surface.

"Oh, no...!" he whispered. "Don't tell me...!!"

"Boy Monk," said the Water Goddess. "Put me down, immediately."

"As you wish, Ma'am," Lance replied as he gently put the Water Goddess down on the docks.

"Wait...Ma'am?" Shiro whispered before he gasped in realization. "She's the real Water God?!"

"Water Goddess," Pidge corrected. "It seems she shrunk due to having her powers stripped from her."

"Stand aside," said the Water Goddess as she removed one of her earrings. "I shall handle this." She then tossed the jewelry into the lake. "I command that you part!!"

As the earring fell into the water...which soon parted to reveal the Fake Water God and an unconscious Keith!

"Keith!!" Shiro exclaimed.

"He's not moving!!" Lance cried.

"We got go get him!" Pidge said as she and Hunk climbed down toward the lake bottom.

"Why you...!!" the Fake Water God growled as he attempted to lunge at the Explorers, but he gasped as an gunshot whizzed through the air and hit part of his body, causing him to scream in pain.

"Nice shot!" Pidge praised while Hunk held his gun in his hands. At that moment Pidge manage to grab Keith and pull him up to the bridge.

"Keith!" Hunkcalled as he gently laid him down on the floor. "Are you all right?! Can you hear me?!"

"Keith?!" Shiro asked, but the half-daemon was lying eerily still, Shiro soon dropped down on his hands and knees, placing his ear to his chest...only to gasp.

"He isn't breathing!" he cried.

"Stats?!" Stats questioned.

"He must have sucked in too much water!!" Pidge shouted in alarm.

"What do we do?!" Hunk asked.

"Give him CPR!!" Shiro answered.

"What?!" Lance questioned. "What's CPR?!!"

"Isn't that a...contact on the lips." Hunk answered.

"Step out of the way people!!" shouted Shiro as he pushed his way past Hunk and Lance, then got down on his knees, trying not to sit on top of Keith. With a grunt, he began to pull off his jacket and t-shirt (which caused Lance, Pidge, and Hunk to look away, as well as shield the eyes of Stats, Eugene, and Teo), then he began to press his hands down on Keith's chest, five times.

"Come on, Keith!" he urged. "Please breathe!" he then pinched Keith's nose shut, took in a deep breath, and then covered his mouth with hers as he blew air into his lungs.

He pulled away, yet Keith still remained motionless. Whimpering, but trying not to lose his nerve, Shiro began to press down on his chest, again, then repeated the process of breathing air into him. The others stood, watching and waiting for anything to happen as Shiro continued to try and revive him...and then, after the fifth time...Keith hand twitched.

"Look!" Pidge exclaimed, and suddenly, the half-daemon began to cough as water bubbled up from his mouth. Shiro smiled in relief as Keith took in a big gasp of air, then he slowly opened his eyes.

"Shiro..." he whispered.

"Oh, thank god...!" Shiro whispered in relief.

"...How many times...are you gonna kiss me...?" Keith asked.

"That wasn't a kiss, dummy," Shiro said.

"Wait, that was about kissing." Lance asked.

"No I think it was on the more of saving lives." Hunk answered.

"LOOK OUT!!" Pidge yelled, suddenly, and as the group turned around, they all cried out in surprise as they saw the Trident of Seas heading right toward them. Thankfully, they managed to move out of the way, just in time, for the spearhead ended up turning the bridge into foam!

"The trident can turn things into foam?!" asked Lance.

"Whoa, that was close!" Keith cursed.

"Look!!" Pidge shouted as he pointed at the Fake Water God, who slowly rose out of the water with a sinister grin on his face.

"You mortal fools have interfered, quite enough!" he hissed. "I'll devour each and every one of you!!"

"Not likely!" Lance retorted.

"That's right!" Pidge agreed. "We've brought the real Water Goddess with us!!"

"Uh...guys?" Shiro asked. "About that..."

In the young priestess's hands...the Water Goddess lie sleeping!

"She fell asleep!!" Shiro cried.

"Asleep?!" Lance repeated.

"I think she used up her strength parting the water!" Shiro answered.

"Really?" Pidge asked, incredulously.

"Some goddess..." Keith deadpanned before he drew his dagger. "Looks like we'll have to take care of this, ourselves!"

"Yes, I agreed." Shiro said as he drew his sword.

"Right!" Lance agreed as he brandished his staff.

"Come and get us!" Pidge declared while holding her Katar.

"Oh, such confidence," said the Fake Water God. "Mayhaps it's time you saw what the Trident of Seas can really do!!"

"Oh, yeah?!" Keith asked. "Bring it on, snake breath!!"

"That's enough talking!" Hunk cried as he fired his gun at the fake Water God as Pidge threw her weapon at the impostor in the same time, who smirked as he easily smacked it right back at them.

Thankfully, it didn't turn into foam at the spearhead's touch. Then, the Fake Water God raised the Trident of Seas towards the heavens...which began to grow dark. Not long after, a bolt of lightning cracked through the blackened clouds, splitting the skies!

"What's happening?" Shiro asked.

"He's...calling forth a typhoon!" cried Eugene.

"And now...you shall all face my wrath!!" proclaimed the Fake Water God before he swung the trident...and not long after, huge cyclones appeared from the clouds, tearing through the shrine!

"Watch out!!" Shiro yelled.

"Scatter!!" Keith shouted, and soon, everyone dispersed, avoiding the perilous winds as they tore through the wooden bridges. Hunk and Pidge managed to hop onto Kiaion's back as they flew to avoid getting caught up in the cyclones while Lance managed to get to higher ground. As for Keith and Shiro, they stood on a roof while holding Stats, Eugene, and Teo.

"Man!" Keith cursed. "This guy's really playing for keeps, isn't he?!"

"We have to do something!" Eugene urged. "If we don't stop him, the village will be hit by the typhoon!!"

"The Water Goddess is still sleeping!" Shiro said as he looked down at the tiny deity in his hands. "What do we do?!"

Keith growled as he looked at the Fake Water God, who cackled maniacally as he held the Trident of Seas in his hand...and that's when he got an idea.

"Pidge, Hunk!!" Keith called to the daemon explores, who flew to his side.

"Yes." Hunk said.

"Listen, I have an idea!" Keith said. "You two distract that egotistic snake and I'll try and get the trident away from him! Maybe that'll stop this storm!"

"Are you sure about that?" Pidge asked.

"Maybe not," Keith began, "but it's our best bet!"

"Well...it's not like we have anything to lose, anyway," Hunk said. "Let's do it!"

With that, Kiaion flew toward the fraudulent water sprite, who glared at them as they began to close in.

"Back for more, are you?" he asked before he swung the trident, sending a powerful whirlwind straight at Pidge.

"Dodge it, Kiaion!" Hunk shouted, and the lion soon dove down to avoid the gale. She then grabbed his gun and fired at the Fake Water God, who ducked down to avoid getting struck. Hunk and Pidge looked around, unable to locate the target...but then, he gasped as he spotted the impostor lunge at him and Pidge!

"Surprise!!" he yelled as he struck the daemon explores with one of his whirlwinds, causing Hunk and Pidge to cry out as he fell off Kiaion's back!

"Stats!" Stats cried.

"Pidge, Hunk!!" Shiro shouted, accidentally squeezing the Water Goddess, which caused her to awaken from the sudden grip.

"AAAAAH!!" Hunk screamed as he fell toward the lake while the Fake Water God prepared to skewer him with the trident...but then, out of nowhere, a red blur suddenly leapt toward him and grabbed his arm, causing him to gasp as he saw that it was Keith!

"Not so fast, bastard!!" Keith yelped.

"Keith!" Hunk exclaimed, just as Kiaion came and caught him on his back.

"Thinks, Keith!" Hunk said.

"No problem," Keith said. "Where is Pidge".

As the same time, Pidge was still falling from the sky, but luckily, at the moment she was falling, out of nowhere, Shiro managed to grab her.

"Pidge, are you all right," he said.

"Don't worry about me!" Pidge answered. "Get the trident!!"

Keith growled before he turned and glared at the Fake Water God.

"You won't get away, that easily!!" he shouted. "I'll take this trident from you, even if I have to rip your arms to get it!!!" He then began to try and wrench said trident out of the impostor's grip, but he wouldn't let go!

"Get your filthy half-daemon hands off of me!!" the Fake Water God yelled. "You'll rue this day, mortal!! I swear it!!!"

"Yeah, yeah, I heard it all BEFORE!!!" Keith shouted, and with a powerful tug, he not only managed to get the trident away from the fake...but he actually ripped his entire arm off!

"Jeez!" Pidge exclaimed. "When he said 'rip his arm off', he wasn't kidding!!"

"Ha!" Keith laughed, triumphantly. "Who's laughin' now?!"

The Fake Water God glared at Inuyasha...before a wide, fanged grin appeared on his face and his eyes glowed red.

"...Uh-oh," Keith muttered.

The fake Water God hissed as he revealed his true form: a giant white snake with red eyes!

"What happened?!" Pidge asked as she watched with Shiro.

"The Trident of Seas disguised his true form!" Lance answered. "Without it, he's just a giant beast!!"

"Oh, not good!!" Keith cried before he was suddenly caught in the serpent's jaws!

"Keith!!" Hunk cried out as the snake prepared to take him down into the depths, once again.

"Put me down, you overgrown INCHWORM!!!" Keith yelled as he punched the serpent in the skull, but it wouldn't let go of him, still intent on drowning him in the lake and devouring him whole!

"We have to do something!" Shiro cried. "Keith's in trouble!"

"More than that!" shouted Eugene. "If this typhoon keeps going, the village will be destroyed and everyone in it will be killed!!"

"I could easily calm this storm," the Water Goddess spoke, causing the others to look at her. "Parting these storm clouds is nothing to me. I could do it in my sleep."

"Can you really do that?" asked Shiro.

"Then you must do something, My lady!" urged Eugene.

"I will gladly do so," the Water Goddess replied, "that is, once the Trident of Seas has been returned to my possession."

"That's it!" Shiro exclaimed before she looked to Keith, who was thrashing about in the water with the snake. "Keith! Are you okay?!"

"Urrrgh...!!" Keith grunted. "This guy's getting to be a bit of a handful!! I can't use my weapon with my arm trapped!!"

"He's right, he can't stand back to get the trident...I got to help him." Shiro thought as he lifted his sword from his sheath.

"First from: Aquarius". Shiro said as he unleashes his move on the serpent's mouth.

"Quick!" Shiro called. "Throw the trident to us!! If you hurry, we can stop this storm!!"

"Got it!" Keith called back before he threw the trident. "Catch!!"

Shiro reached out to catch the halberd, but before he could so, the serpent's tail smacked it away, just before it could reach him!

"Oh, no!" Shiro cried. "The trident!!"

"I'll get it!!" Eugene exclaimed as he dove in to grab it.

"Wait! Eugene!!" cried Teo.

Under the water, Eugene swam as fast as his body was able, trying to reach for the Trident of Seas.

"I am the son of the village headman," he thought. "If I don't save the village, now, then how can I ever face the friends who were devoured by the false Water God before this day?!"

Before long, he managed to grab the trident and emerged from the depths...but then he gasped as the saw the serpent's long tail headed for him!

"Watch out!!" Shiro cried, but it was too late. The boy was soon caught in the serpent's coils, causing him to gasp as he suddenly felt the wind get knocked out of him.

Try as he might, Eugene soon lost consciousness, the Trident of Seas still in his grip. The serpent hissed before he dropped Keith, who screamed as he fell into the water, then prepared to devour the boy...but then, just before it opened its jaws to do so, something bright through the air and burn its tail, causing it to screech in pain as it dropped Eugene. Up in the sky, Hunk sat on Kiaion's back while holding his gun.

"Keith!" he called out. "Save the boy!!"

Keith gasped before he quickly nodded his head and dove under the lake, hurriedly swimming after Eugene, who was sinking toward the bottom.

"This kid might have an attitude problem," thought the half-daemon, "but he's got a lot of guts, I'll give him that much!"

Just as he was about to reach the drowning boy, he heard a familiar monstrous hiss behind him, causing him to turn around and see the serpent, whose jaws were wide open as it prepared to devour them both.

"I don't think so!!" said Keith as he drew his dagger from its sheath and with one fell swing, he sliced the snake along its length, completely in half! The serpent screeched as the top half of its body flew out of the water and towards the sky...heading right toward the village!

"It's...still alive?!" Hunk questioned.

"I won't let them get the better of me...!" thought the serpent. "Even if it takes every last bit of my strength...I will destroy the village and devour everyone in it!!"

However, standing on the lake's bank was Lance, who glared at the beast as he held up his right hand.

"I'll handle the clean-up from here," said Lance as he pulled away the sealing beads and uses his ice powers to freeze the serpent...never to harm another life again. Once it frozen, Lance quickly sealed up his hand with a triumphant grin.

"Stats!" Stats cheered. "Stats!"

"Yeah, we did," Pidge began as she looked at the cyclones, "but the typhoon's not stopping!!"

"Hey!"

The group turned to see Keith swimming toward them with Eugene in one arm and the Trident of Seas in his teeth.

"Keith!" Shiro exclaimed, relieved to see that he was all right.

"And Eugene, too!" Teo said.

"Hey, kid," Keith said. "You all right?"

"...Yes," Eugene nodded with a small smile. "Thank you...Keith."

Keith only smirked and nodded back, then turned to Shiro and handed the trident to him.

"Here, Shiro," he said. "Give this to the Water Goddess."

"Right," Shiro nodded before he held the trident to the Water Goddess. "Here you are, my lord."

"I thank you, child," said the Water Goddess as she held up her hands and touched the trident's handle...and as soon as she did, there was a bright flash of light, causing everyone to shield their eyes. As it dispersed...they gasped as they saw that the Water Goddess had grown into a very tall woman...about nearly as tall as Keith, in fact!

"So that's her true size!" Shiro mused.

"Wow...she's pretty!" Pidge said.

"I'll say," Lance grinned, only for Keith to smack him in the back of his head. "Ow!!"

"Knock it off," Keith groused while the Water Goddess held up the trident toward the storm clouds.

"Winds...I command that you part!!" she declared, and as the trident flashed...the cyclones suddenly ceased and the storm clouds parted...revealing the shining rays of the sun.

At the village, everyone gasped in disbelief as they watch the storm suddenly dissipated.

"The typhoon," said one of the villagers. "It...it stopped!"

"...So it did," agreed the village headman.

Sometime after that, Keith and the group returned to the village with Eugene and Teo. It was there that Eugene conveyed to his father about the Fake Water God and how the real Water Goddess had been usurped. In light of this news, the headman got down on his knees and pleaded Teo for forgiveness. The boy simply brushed it off, claiming that Eugene had come to his rescue.

A while after that, Keith and company left to continue their journey.

"So they left, did they?" asked Keith.

"Yes, they have," answered Eugene. "And I didn't even get to thank them, properly."

"I hope I get to be just like them, one day..."

Meanwhile, on the road...

"What's all this anyway?" Keith asked.

"Oh, this?" Lance asked. "Well, after we got back, I was prepared to tell the villagers of the heroics that Young Eugene had done to save the village...but before I could, the village headman bestowed me with these gifts!"

"You mean you blackmailed him, right?!" Keith questioned.

"Well, don't look at me, Pidge made me do it" Lance argue

"Don't look at me, I only take money, not full items!" Pidge urged.

"We'll sell these off and celebrate!" Lance said.

"This is the last time I asked for help!" Keith shout is loud.

Elsewhere, back at Zarkon's Castle, stood a rectangular table in the center, it was in a part of the room that stretched out into a rectangle-like shape near the back of it. On the table sat a lizard-like creature that was purple and blue. Its eyes darting all around the room, soon, Haggar and her Druids walked into the room, with the witch holding a piece of the quintessence crystal.

"With this piece of power, it will turn you into the strongest, most horrifying fighting ever created". Haggar declared. "One that even the Samurai will not be able to defeat".

The lizard just sat on the table oblivious of what was about to happen. Haggar then nodded to her druids. It was time to start to process.

But stronger indeed, what type of challenges that must they must endure. If they survive together let's find out in the next chapter.