The group arrived at Red Leaf Lake before the sun set.
Just as Ivan had said, the lake was eerily silent, with a blackish-green surface and the corpses of dead fish.
The foul smell made one want to stay far away.
Ivan said to Li Yu, "I called the priests of Epictetus, the Forest God, to look at it, and they told me the lake was under a severe natural curse. They even asked me if I had any enemies."
"I don't know if what they are saying is true or false. I'm not a follower of Epictetus. Maybe Epictetus himself is behind all this.
"I've not been here long, and I know how many lords of Elk Valley view me; to them, I am just a foreigner..."
Ivan rambled on and then looked expectantly at Li Yu, "So, what do you think, Prophet Merlin, can you lift this curse?"
"Hmm, no problem, just do as I previously described."
Li Yu took a quick look and knew what was wrong with the lake—it was obviously due to the rapid proliferation of blue-green algae causing oxygen depletion.
