A sickly green lake lay before them with a stinging mist enveloping the shore. Topher did not like the look of the place and the task at hand but knew it had to be done and began to strip.

"Take care Topher" said Will "hopefully it'll be over soon"

"I hope so too, but as they say, whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger" he replied stoically.

He looked at the water and sighed "I suppose there's no easy way to do this, I'm jumping in, better to take the pain in all at once" and so jumped into the water.

Immediately he felt a stinging pain of acid all around his body, like a thousand sting-rays piercing him with their stingers. The pain was so great that he couldn't even think, but his resolute iron will kept him down, and his rage came in handy as he was furious at the pain and resolved out of spite to complete the task. After a minute was up, he made his way out of the lake exhausted, but satisfied with his task. He glowed green, and radiated magic energy.

"That was a bitch, and a half, but I'm glad it's over. The lake must have pushed my body to such a limit so that dragon fire won't cause me any harm. This aura I have around me must be the magic that keeps the fire from affecting my flesh" He pondered.

The trio then packed up and made their way to Bobo's swamp, as it had appeared again from whence they came.

"Ah! So I see y'all are back from the caves of my kin, how was it?" Bobo asked cautiously optimistic.

There was an uneasy silence, and Topher nudged Will to say something diplomatic "Ah well, it was a success! We got a message from your Mamaw, saying she is always with you, and will see you soon." This put a calm smile on Bobo's face, and everyone was relieved.

"Bobo, your Mamaw has some requests for you. Firstly, can I please touch my ornate silver dagger to your amulet so I can borrow some of the power and souls of your kin to help me in killing Mozgus. Also can Topher touch your amulet to give him some extra strength if he is to wrestle Mozgus in his dragon form?"

"Yessir! But Topher, you survived the waters of Lake Lazarus? That's amazing! No human has ever done that before! I think you might have some fae blood from your ancestry, you might have the strength from the ogres" Bobo commented

"Bobo, what the fuck did you just call me!" Topher scowled

"Oh I don't mean no offense, but it's just a theory of mine, you look a bit like an ogre." he said offhandedly

"Bobo I swear to God.." said Topher clenching his fist.

Will stepped in and put his hand on Topher's chest "Oh you know Bobo, he's careless and doesn't mean harm, he probably means it as a compliment, since you're so big and strong. How about we just touch his amulet." he suggested.

Will touched the tip of his dagger on the amulet, and it was infused with green light, and Topher touched his finger on the amulet, and a wave of magical energy blasted through him, he looked taller, more fierce, and his voice became deeper and sounded like rumbling of clouds. If he didn't look or sound like an ogre before, he did now.

"Ah what did I tell ya, you had the ogre strength, just diluted over time. The amulet enhances the powers you already have, and adds what your ancestors might have had. Since its powered by the souls of fae, it connects to some of the fae blood you might have in you." he explained

"Well, what do you know! I had ogres for my ancestors. Well, I can live with that, at least they were fierce. Hopefully I can look normal once this saving the world business is done and dealt with." he mused.

"Bobo I have to ask, how does your swamp even know where Mozgus's hideout is?" questioned Will

"You see Will, Mozgus used chaos magic to kill my kin, so when they died and settled in the amulet, they carried links to Mozgus. This swamp is powered by the magic and souls of my people, who know where Mozgus is, because they are connected to his chaos magic. Once he dies and his magic leaves the world, they are no longer bound to him, and can return, using the swamp materials and their own magic to get back in flesh." He explained.

"But is Mozgus a demon? I thought demons were a fantasy. To my knowledge there are just humans and fae in this world" Bart said puzzled

"He is a manifestation of despair and rage. Most likely he must have been a fae that used dark magic and lost his body while inhabiting that of a giant insect, but he apparently took on a new host through making a blood pact with someone. Your story tells of some poor peasant losing all he had and making a pact with Mozgus in despair, using a totem, which is where the consciousness of Mozgus lives. Destroy the totem, and Mozgus loses his consciousness, and he doesn't seem to have a host nearby to inhabit, so he might just die." Bobo pondered.

"Any ideas on how we can enter his castle? It seems sealed shut because of his fear of the alignment of the planets." Topher probed.

"Well, there is one way, which my tattoos are showing me, but you ain't going like it!" Bobo smirked

"What is it Bobo?!" Topher confronted "The fate of the world is upon us, and you're having a laugh!"

"Well, you see, Mozgus has sealed all entrances except one: the sewers." Bobo laughed "You're going to have to climb the poop shaft of his castle and make your way through his toilets to his inner chamber".

"Oh hell no!" all three of our heroes yelled in unison

"Sorry boys but I don't see no other way" Bobo shrugged

"But how do we know which toilet shaft is his? It must be a big sewer!" commented Will.

"Good question, use the dagger that's infused with the power, it'll start glowing brighter and brighter as you approach Mozgus, so that way you know which shafts are the right ones" Bobo theorized

"Whatever!" growled Topher "just show us out to his lair and we'll get the job done!" he grunted

No sooner had he finished his sentence than the swamp opened up to a desolate landscape of red rocks with a castle perched on a hill.

"The swamp is giving you access to a secret ravine which you can cross. His castle don't have no people since he distrusts everybody, and he believes he is secure in the secrecy of it. Now go! And good luck!" encouraged Bobo

Our trio slowly made their way out, with apprehension about the final leg of their journey.