Disclaimer:
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, events, places, etc., are either product of the author's imagination used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to an actual person, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
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DAY SIX OF DEATH GAMES:
The Ice Worm Bird of Below Zero
一一一一一回回回一一一一一
Day 06 | 6:00 P.M |
Status:
Blackwoodian Citizen's HeadCount？
THIRTY-TWO
Kills:
• FOUR QUEEN CARDS: THE SIREN'S
• SIX RANDOM NUMBERS: THE VIEWERS AND BETTORS
• FOUR JACK CARDS: THE 'ISLAND' FISH
• SIX RANDOM NUMBERS: THE VIEWERS AND BETTORS
Challenges Accomplished:
• THE SIREN'S CHALLENGE
• THE 'ISLAND' FISH CHALLENGE
一一一一一回回回一一一一一
The ship made a significant progress. However, being dragged along by a giant, annoyed fish didn't make the smoothest ride. Before long, the entire crew was into their seasick modes. Even Echo.
"Light," Ray panted. "The men can't take it much more."
Light was doubled over at the other side of the ship, "Damn. I can't take much more either," he said. "Cut the line."
Ray did as he said, and the ship slowed immediately as the dead body of the colossal fish floated through the cold waters. Avy staggered towards Light, who was still leaning over the rail.
"Whose idea was that again?" Light joked weakly.
"I don't know who was it," Avy responded. But he owes me lunch."
They both exchanged a look, wearing those hidden smiles on their depths. It was funny how almost getting killed could make the things, and the atmosphere above them turn a little friendlier.
Then Light gestured at the view ahead. Avy looked and noticed two massive stone gates on the horizon.
"The Gates to Below Zero," he said. "Bet you never thought I'd get us this far."
"No, I didn't." She replied honestly. "But, Winter did. For some reason, he trusts you, with all his might."
"What could he have been thinking?" Light quipped. Avy nodded. She had been wondering the same thing for a while now. "How did you two ever met?" She asked out of curiosity.
Light shrugged. "I was running for my life, as usual," He glanced over at her. For a moment, she thought that was all he was going to say. But then, he continued.
"A couple of angry thugs had cornered me outside the palace walls. I was trapped. And then suddenly, there was Winter. He appeared out of the blue in the scene and was actually watching it all from his room in the palace. He had seriously climbed down the castle wall to fight together by my side. We became pretty close since then. And after some time, we became best friends from that day forward."
Avy plastered a smile. That sounded just like the real Winter. "What happened with you two after time passed by?"
Light looked uncomfortable, "W-we took different paths." He shortly answered then turned away.
Before Avy could ask more questions, she noticed a chill in the air. The ship wasn't moving. The waters of the blue sea, which are encircling around the Arcadia, had begun to freeze. The ship was hardly trapped in the ice.
"Oh, damn." Light cursed as he walked around his ship.
The men did their best to break the ice and keep the ship moving. Some of them hopped overboard, hacking at the hard icy surface.
Suddenly Echo began to bark. Avy spotted something in the distance high above some snowy cliffs. It flew closer, let out a loud shriek, then disappeared.
The shape emerged again, crashing over the icy cliffs. It appeared to be a gigantic ice worm一 with enormous flapping wings, massive talons on its wormy end, and an impossible deadly-looking beak as its mouth.
It was the Solturga, one of Eris's monsters; it's an evolved version of which creatures一 the ice worm and giant bird. Combining their features, you'll come along a dangerous giant. The giant which all of the Thirteen Cities are terrified of. This ice-worm-bird-like can definitely kill any prey within its radar in an instant.
"Shit! Everyone back on the ship!" Light shouted as the creature swooped toward the Arcadia.
The next few moments passed in chaos and confusion. The Solturga circled and dove as the sailors skittered across the ice. Finally, all were safe aboard the ship, except for Jet.
The Solturga plummeted directly towards the helpless man. Just as the creature's talons reached for him, Jet dove into the icy water near the ship. As the Solturga banked and circled, Avy peered over the edge of the ship. Jet surfaced, gulping for air.
"Jet!" Avy called. "Grab the rope up!"
She tossed a rope overboard. Just as she was dragging Jet over the railing, she heard Light shouting her name. As she glanced over her shoulder, a huge shadow fell over her. She looked up and saw the Solturga diving straight toward her. Avy tried to run, but it was too late. The Solturga grabbed her with its gigantic sharp talons and lifted her off the deck.
Light dove for her and grabbed her hand. She tried to hold onto him, but the Solturga was too strong. Light lost his grip and fell away as the Solturga carried Avy towards the raging stormy sky.
ب
The Solturga dropped Avy into its nest high atop to a tower of ice. It shrieked loudly as it came in for a landing nearby. She tried to escape. But there was nowhere to go. Everywhere she turned, the Solturga was there, holding her like a prisoner under its talons. Finally, she was able to wriggle free and dive beneath a giant rib cage一, the remains of the Solturga's last meal, perhaps. She shuddered at that thought.
The Solturga screeched as it looked for her. She held her breath, pressing herself against the bones. Would it figure out where she was?
And even if it didn't, what would happen next? She was in a big trouble. And for once, she wasn't sure how she was going to get through all of this.
A few minutes passed, she heard no sound coming from the Solturga. With the darkness of her fears creeping up onto her chest, she peeked to see what it was doing. As she did, a hand clamped over her mouth.
She let out a startled shout that was only partly muffled by the hand. The Solturga turned toward her and shrieked.
"Shh!" Light hissed behind her.
Avy pushed his hand away, wiped some tears that had fallen from her cheeks then turned to him in amazement. "You're rescuing me!" she whispered. Again, she spied a decent man beneath the swaggering, annoying exterior.
"Yes, babe." Light whispered back.
"Damn, yeah. If that's what you want to call it. But this is going to cost you another massive gem, alright? Rescues of captured ladies aren't part of the usual tourist package."
She laughed sarcastically in her thoughts. She should have known better. Surely, Light wouldn't do this kind of thing... for free.
"So," she finally said. "How are we going to get down?"
Light glanced around thoughtfully. "Actually... I don't know yet, babe."
"Wait, what?!" She whispered angrily.
He clapped his hand over her mouth again. "Shh! I'm thingking about it, okay?"
She pulled his hand away. "You scaled a thousand-miles tower of ice, and you don't know how to get down? You're unbelievable, Light Blackwood."
"Of all the ungrateful一," he began. "Look, if you'd rather take chances on your own, that can be arranged."
Just then, Avy heard a squawk from outside the rib cage. The Solturga was moving closer. "Shh," she hushed Light. They were in this together now. She decided she might as well try to look on the bright side. "Alright, alright. So what do we have to work with? Ropes?"
Light looked sheepish. "No."
"Grappling hooks?"
"Yeah一no," he admitted.
This was looking worse by every second. He was holding a shield, but otherwise, his hands were empty. Hadn't he thought this through at all? Did he really climb up on here without thoughts of how to get down? This is unbelievable...
"Your swords?" Avy asked hopefully.
Light's expression brightened as he pulled out a dagger. "I've got this!"
"Great," she muttered. "We can pick his teeth when he's done with us."
"In the hands of an expert, a mere knife has a thousand, million, and fuckin trillion of uses," He said. He spun the dagger and flipped it. It hit the ice overhead.
CRASH!
Their hiding place collapsed around them. The Solturga turned and spotted them immediately. Light grabbed Avy. "Come on!" he said, dragging her towards the cliff's edge.
"What?" she protested as they teetered there for a second. Glancing down, she spotted the Arcadia in the ocean far, far below. It looked very small and far away.
Light pulled her over the drop-off. "Let's fuckin' go, babeeeee!"
♤ • • • ♤
To be continued...