31. Chapter 31
31
I stirred to the sensation of a chill wind caressing my neck while gravel dug into my cheek and ear. Gasping, I inhaled sharply, the frigid air biting at my throat, causing a sudden cough to erupt.
Blinking my eyes open, I found myself greeted by a watery, gray light, the sun's warmth drowned out by a cascade of dark clouds. A shiver rippled through my body, jolting my sluggish mind awake.
Drugged. He drugged us.
The realization hit me like a physical blow.
I spat a curse under my breath as I slowly rose to my feet, brushing gravel from my cheeks and gloved hands. Taking in the vast expanse of the desolate mountain range that stretched as far as the eye could see, feeling a sense of isolation wash over me. Glancing around, I noticed two other contestants asleep nearby, dressed in similar slick, black attire that shimmered like scales in the faint, watery light. Thick, black boots encased my feet, their laces reaching up to my shins—sturdy enough for traversing the terrain yet heavy enough to hinder swift movement.
I turned my gloved hands over, feeling the strange material flex and stretch against my fingers. Whatever this fabric consisted of, I hoped it would hold up to this desolate landscape of ice.
Pushing myself upright, I focused on shaking off the remnants of grogginess, allowing the biting cold to slice through me, waking me fully to the bleak reality of my situation.
To my left, a rugged expanse of towering mountains stretched out, their jagged peaks crowned with a thick layer of snow, while dark clouds swirled ominously overhead, casting a sense of impending doom. Ahead of me and to the right was a sheer fatal cliff that would send anyone who misstepped into the Afterworld. Behind us lay a thicket of dead bushes and a path leading downward, promising potential shelter. If the supposed dragon didn't claim us, surely the merciless elements would.
"Some match for compassion," I scoffed bitterly, remembering the toast everyone chanted before the king drugged us. I eyed one of the contestants who jerked nearby, her dark braid swept over her face.
I shook out my limbs, searching for anything that could serve as a weapon, but found only a barren landscape of frozen, brittle terrain.
I crouched beside the girl while the boy to my left suddenly awoke with a loud groan, his voice piercing the silent mountains.
I tried to shake her awake, but she remained unresponsive while the boy's groans grew louder, drawing attention to our presence.
Rushing towards him to muffle his sounds, he unexpectedly swung a punch at my side, knocking the wind out of me and sending me crashing to the ground. Pain shot through my knees as they hit the rocky terrain. A cough escaped my lips as I struggled to catch my breath.
He scrambled to his feet, his blue eyes wide with disbelief as he surveyed our surroundings.
"Where are we?" he demanded, his blonde hair stark against the somber clouds. "What happened? This wasn't part of the plan!" His curses echoed louder than I'd prefer.
" Hush yourself unless you want to be eaten," I warned, eyeing him warily as he sized me up. Rising to my feet, I still felt the lingering effects of the drug clouding my thoughts.
"What do you know?" he spat, his tone laced with arrogance.
I shrugged indifferently. "Clearly, the king drugged us and wanted us to stumble unwittingly into the monster's lair."
He staggered back as the girl coughed herself awake. She shot up, stumbling back into a prickly, dead bush. Cursing, she shoved her braid over her shoulder and hastily regained her footing.
"What's going on?" she spat, her voice laced with as much venom as I felt.
"Fernwen here thinks monsters reside in these mountains," the boy said, moving closer to the girl, helping her settle.
I shot him a glare. Fernwen? They knew I was from Fernwen, yet I knew nothing about them, but perhaps that was my fault.
"Monsters, huh?" the girl coughed, brushing herself off. "As if she knows anything besides how to cower in fear."
The boy smirked, casting a knowing glance in my direction.
"What was the plan then?" I scowled at them, my voice edged with frustration.
"Like Tyran would I tell you. Remember, only one wins," the boy retorted defiantly.
Gritting my teeth, I surveyed them, realizing they were just like Jesri, like all those at the king's party—hungry for fame and money.
"Do you know anything about survival in these conditions—"
A deafening roar erupted from the cliff behind us, shaking the ground beneath our feet and assaulting our eardrums. The girl collapsed to her knees, hands clamped over her ears, and screamed in terror, her voice bellowing just as loud as the roar. Instinctively, I lunged toward her, covering her mouth as we all crouched in frozen fear.
She quickly shoved me off and bolted down the jagged mountainside path. The boy followed suit, struggling to maintain his balance against the pull of the steep slope. I cast one last desperate glance around, searching for any sign, any clue that could aid us, but found nothing.
I quickly staggered after them, leaping from one jagged rock to another. We ran perilously close to the cliff's edge, its sheer drop stealing my breath.
"Move it, Zeph!" the boy hissed urgently at the girl, his voice strained with fear as he slowed down to assist her.
I rolled my eyes in disgust—so much for the idea that only one of us would win.
We stumbled down the treacherous slope as another thunderous roar reverberated dangerously close behind us. Glancing back, my heart pounded as I saw nothing but the swirling darkness of the approaching storm clouds.
Finally, we reached an alcove nestled within the side of the mountain and rushed inside, gasping for breath in the suffocating darkness.
"What…was that?" Zeph panted, hunching over as she tried to catch her breath.
The boy exchanged a look with me, his expression etched with defeat and frustration. "Maybe Fernwen was right," he muttered between labored breaths.
I glared at him, inching my way out to see if anything followed… or flew.
"Where are we?" Zeph slurred the effects of the drug evident in her speech.
"Judging by the towering peaks and the blanket of snow, my guess is we're somewhere along the Aduantas Mountain Range. The Unmarked Territory. Known for its unforgiving, icy terrain," the boy remarked, stepping up beside me to survey our surroundings. "And for the chilling tales spun to scare the wits out of children."
I furrowed my brow, recalling the map of Creos in Jesri's study. How far were we from the King's Court? Days of travel? A week? How had they managed to transport us here so swiftly?
"The Aduantas Mountains?" Zeph hissed, her panic pulling me back to the present. "This wasn't part of the plan. I didn't sign up for this! We were supposed to be in the King's Arena…not here, in the middle of nowhere!" She stumbled toward us, tripping over loose rocks in her disorientation. The boy rolled his eyes, a smirk playing on his lips, before turning his gaze back to me.
"I'm Osric from Samar," he declared, extending a gloved hand to me. I glanced down at his hand, then back up to his piercing blue eyes, before diverting my attention back to the daunting mountain range. Engaging in small talk felt insignificant in our situation. "Now you're supposed to say your name," he prodded, grabbing my shoulder and turning me to face him.
I sidestepped out of his grasp, planting myself out of his reach. "So what was the plan then?" I reiterated.
He chuckled, the sound grating against my nerves, his too-perfect teeth glinting in the dim light. "Tell me your name first, and then maybe I'll consider sharing," he said, stalking closer to me and folding his arms across his chest.
I exhaled sharply, irritation prickling my skin. "Is Fernwen not good enough for you?" I retorted.
Zeph snorted, stepping up beside him. "She's the lord's pet," she sneered.
My anger ignited like wildfire, coursing through my veins with searing intensity.
Osric held up his hands, attempting to defuse the tension. "No need to be unpleasant, Zephyr," he said smoothly. "Yet, hearing it would make for quite the interesting story."
"How much do you know?" I spat, reigning in my fury.
"Enough to realize you didn't sign up for this willingly," he replied, closing the distance between us and shoving me against the jagged wall. Towering over me by at least two feet, he leaned in close. "Now, let's get one thing straight. The one who was too afraid to join doesn't get to win. Got it?" he ordered between his teeth. His tone dripped with arrogance and malice, fueling my anger until I surged forward, unable to contain myself any longer.
I stomped on his foot with ferocity, relishing the surprise in his eyes. In a fluid motion, I drove my knee up into his groin, satisfaction coursing through me as his agonized scream tore through the air, echoing off the walls of the alcove with startling intensity. Doubled over in excruciating pain, he clutched at himself, vulnerable, and I seized the moment, thrusting my elbow upward with all my might, the impact reverberating through my arm as it connected with his chin.
He staggered backward, dazed, and I released his foot, pivoting to unleash a swift, punishing kick to his chest. The force of it sent him crashing to the unforgiving stone floor. He landed with a curse, his words dripping with venom as he condemned me to a fate worse than death at the hands of the monsters.
Zephyr spat at me, rushing to his side to help him up as he clasped his torn, bloody elbow.
So much for the fancy suit.
Zephyr curled her lip, assisting Osric to his feet, who now clutched his manhood. He began to laugh, a cruel sound that echoed through the alcove. "Impressive moves for a petty ward," he sneered.
I flexed my fingers, feeling the anger coursing through me like a taut bowstring ready to snap. Pressure built deep in my core, shaking my body with each inhale and exhale. Gritting my teeth, I clenched my fists and flared my nostrils, letting the pressure burn more profoundly until it melted and curved against my body like a second skin.
With a shuddering breath, a surge of crackling energy burst forth, illuminating the air with blinding light and scorching embers that crackled and danced around us. The force slammed us against the unyielding stone walls, a sudden onslaught that left us gasping for air, disoriented and shaken; as quickly as it had materialized, the light vanished, leaving only the echo of its power reverberating in the air.
The two looked at me with even more disgust and confusion, coughing as they got to their feet. With disbelief, I glanced down at my hands, rotating them only to find my suit scorched and riddled with holes.
"What the—"
A large smashing sound reverberated through the alcove, snapping my attention back to the two of them. Fear was palpable on their faces as they silently retreated into the dim light beyond the alcove's entrance. Another startling rumble of rocks stirred behind me, raising the hairs on my neck and causing the fire of defiance within me to flicker as if seeking refuge. I quickly got to my feet as a loud clicking noise emerged, echoing hauntingly in the darkness from the depths of the alcove.
I stood paralyzed, the very air fleeing my lungs and leaving me breathless.
The clicking sound echoed louder off the walls and penetrated deep into the recesses of my soul. Osric and Zephyr's faces contorted in frozen fear, their eyes wide with terror. I whipped around to see a Breva slithering into view, its grotesque form twisted and mangled, festering with a putrid infection that assaulted my senses. The stench alone was enough to make me gag. Frantically, I scrambled back as the creature's wide mouth clicked threateningly, sending another wave of terror coursing through us.
Zephyr screamed and sprinted out with Osric trailing her wake. I shot after them, falling and hauling my thick boots over the tumbled rocks.
A deafening crash and screech of falling rock thundered through the air as I emerged back into the watery sunlight, leaping over boulders and dead brush.
The Breva loomed before me, its massive body dwarfing the one that Kaizen sliced in two. Its black form was peppered with a sickly grey, and several of its legs were limp with atrophy from chunks torn out of it. The rumble of its jerking movements shook the very floor of the mountain as its clicking grew louder, the sound echoing off the canyon walls.
I caught up to Zephyr, who stumbled over her boots while Osric's blonde hair disappeared farther down the hill. With a cry, I grabbed her, hauling her with me as we tumbled faster down the mountainside, our bodies sliding over the sharp rocks and brush that littered our path.
Osric reached a flat landing and darted for a narrow path wedged between the two mountains.
"RUN!" Osric's voice pierced the chaos, drowned out by the thunderous cascade of boulders and bits of rock raining down upon us. Its clicking increased, diluting my head with a sharp agony of noise.
Osric plunged into the narrow gap, his movements urgent as he pushed his body through. Without hesitation, Zephyr followed suit, throwing herself into the tight space, and I swiftly followed behind. The coldness of the mountain bit into my ripped suit as smoky tendrils of air escaped from our hot breaths.
" GO! " Zephyr shrieked, her voice echoing through the narrow passage.
"It's too tight!" Osric hissed, his struggle tangible as the Breva crashed into the mountain behind me, dislodging small rocks that rained down upon us.
Zephyr's scream pierced the air, her hands shielding her head as the Breva relentlessly battered against the narrow opening again and again. Black blood sprayed from its broken, grotesque body mere inches from where I stood. I pressed against Zephyr's trembling body as more rocks pelted down upon us.
The air around us became thick with dirt as the mountain shook, fear slamming into my heart and suffocating me as I gasped for air. Osric slipped deeper into the heart of the crack just as the Breva's attack abruptly ceased, leaving an eerie stillness in its wake. Dirt wafted up, clouding my vision.
We stood in tense silence, hearing only the sounds of our racing heartbeats and labored breathing. The dirt around us gradually settled into an ominous quiet.
"Is it gone?" Zephyr hissed, shoving me toward the opening of the crevice. I shot her a sharp glare before I forced my feet to move.
I am in control.
Sliding cautiously along the stone walls, I held my breath, straining to listen for any sign of the Breva. There were no telltale clicking's or even the faintest rustle of movement. I inched my head out of the crack and peered out, nothing caught my attention until my gaze was drawn to the giant claw marks carved into the mountainside, the black blood still warm in the dirt below. Leaping over the viscous liquid, I crouched low and scanned the surroundings.
Nothing. There was nothing.
I stepped out cautiously, my eyes darting around, analyzing potential hiding spots, escape routes, or makeshift weapons among the scattered rocks. Glancing back, I waved urgently for Zephyr and Osric to join me, but I caught movement twenty feet above before they emerged from the crack.
My heart stopped as I beheld the Breva's sleek form clinging to the mountainside. Its blackened body was stained with blood, and its tail curled up with its stinger ready.
"NO!" I screamed, leaping to them just as Zephyr stepped out with Osric. My voice echoed throughout the mountain range, and the clicking resumed, louder and more ferocious. The massive body of the Breva leaped, hitting the ground with a bone-rattling quake.
Zephyr and Osric hurled themselves over fallen rocks, but the Breva instantaneously struck its stinger, piercing Zephyr's shoulder. She screeched, collapsing to the ground and clutching her wound. Osric hesitated, terror etched across his face, before rushing to my side. He cursed my name as blood pooled around her, soaking into the cold, dry dirt.
The poison worked swiftly, her screams turning into gurgles as the Breva's clicking grew more frenzied.
"You killed her!" Osric cried, watching the Breva slither up to her. Her foot twitched once, then went still, her chest barely rising. "You killed her!" He shoved me aside, rage and grief contorting his features, before sprinting down the hill.
My feet were leaden as I watched the Breva click up to her, its mouth lengthening wider. Kaizen's voice echoed in my mind: Whatever you do, do not let one take you.
Swallowing my fear, I spotted a sharp, broken branch jutting from a dead trunk. I gripped the branch, yanked it free, and charged toward the Breva before the fear sank in.
Its gaping mouth stretched wide, ready to swallow Zephyr whole as I hurled the branch. It pierced the inside of its throat and sprayed black blood over Zephyr's limp body.
The Breva let out a high-pitched shriek that resonated painfully in my ears as it clawed at its mouth. I lunged toward Zephyr, hauling her up by her arms and dragging her away. She was heavier than I expected, and with my feet sinking into the cold ground, I heaved her toward where Osric had fled. The Breva thrashed, trying to dislodge the branch, its blood pooling beneath it.
"OSRIC!" I yelled, praying he was still nearby. "OSRIC!"
I couldn't drag her much longer before the Breva found us again, as it successfully dislodged part of the branch. Desperation clawed my insides as I scanned the area, spotting a large jumble of rocks clinging together with a small hole at its center. I tugged harder, praying it was big enough for us to hide in.
The Breva's high-pitched scream ceased, replaced by a thunderous crash. I glanced up to see its massive body poised at the top of the hill, oily blood oozing from its maw. Its depthless eyes gleamed with a vengeance as if it had feelings and would not leave empty-handed.
I pulled harder, every muscle straining.
"Tyran, please ! COME ON!"
I clenched my teeth, muscles straining as I exerted every ounce of strength and speed, leaning back against the resistance. The jagged rocks loomed mere feet away, their rough surfaces beckoning as the Breva's clicking resumed, now accompanied by a gruesome choking sound, as if the creature was drowning in its own blood.
It lunged toward us, its clicking punctuated by guttural gurgles that made me want to vomit. Its massive body crashed into a boulder, hissing at the impact and leaving a trail of blood.
Finding my footing, I hauled Zephyr up against the rocks. The opening was too small for us both or for me to pull her in wholly. I quickly dragged her body over one of the rocks and jumped in. With trembling hands, I laid her down and pushed against her knees, her body reluctantly sliding into the narrow gap, the jagged edges of the rocks threatening to rend flesh as I fought.
The Breva's clicks intensified, a morbid cry summoning other predators to our location. Desperation surged through me as I shoved Zephyr harder, the jagged rock scraping my skin raw as I pushed her into the narrow crevice. The acrid stench of the Breva's blood permeated the air, a thick, choking stench. Bracing myself, I barely had time to react as the Breva smashed into the outer rocks, a scream ripping from my throat. I ducked, curling protectively over Zephyr's limp body. Dust and debris swirled around us as I gave one final, desperate push, ensuring she was completely hidden.
Swiftly, I vaulted over the rocks, scrambling to escape. The Breva charged, its massive form bashing against the jagged stones. Suddenly, its clawed arm snared my foot, yanking me violently to the ground. Pain exploded through my body as I hit the earth hard, my vision blurring with the impact. The gurgling clicks of the bleeding Breva reverberated in my ears, its proximity freezing my mind with terror. The overpowering stench of its blood churned my senses.
Do not let one take you.
I lay paralyzed beneath its grotesque body, suppressing a scream as its cavernous mouth stretched open. The jagged remnants of the large branch jutted from its throat, and it choked on its own thick, black blood. Its fully erect stinger glistened ominously at the tip of its tail, clicking menacingly. My body trembled uncontrollably, but Levon's voice echoed fiercely in my mind.
You fight—let your anger guide you rather than try to suppress it.
Rage surged through me like a wildfire. My lip curled in defiance as the Breva staggered back just enough to create an opening. Seizing the moment, I lunged forward with a primal scream, thrusting myself into its gaping maw. My hands grasped the blood-slicked branch, and I tore it viciously from its throat. The creature's agonized wail reverberated through my bones, hurling me back to the ground, the branch still clutched in my shaking hands.
In less than a heartbeat, its stinger shot down, striking the ground mere millimeters from my neck. I rolled frantically, barely evading another deadly strike, as its viscous black blood splattered from its mouth onto my legs, burning with a rancid heat. It continued its relentless attack, its stinger smashing down repeatedly in a savage frenzy before its massive form slithered over mine, and I felt the sting of its razor-sharp claws grazing my thigh. Above me, the segmented shafts of its body writhed and swayed, revealing a gruesome gash on its underbelly.
Instinctually, I seized the broken branch, driving it with all my strength into the exposed wound. I screamed, pouring every ounce of fear and fury into the thrust. The Breva shrieked in agony, its cries a chilling mixture of wails and hisses as more hot blood spilled over me. It convulsed violently, its serpentine body coiling and writhing, encircling itself in a desperate bid to escape the pain.
With fury coursing through my veins, I leaped to my feet and raced downhill, refusing to witness the Breva's demise and unsure where else to go, praying nothing got to Zephyr before she woke up.
The already dim, gray light of dusk faded into an unnerving, inky black sky, making the warmth of the Breva's black blood on my skin create ghostly wisps in the chilled air. Despite the cold slicing into my lungs with each breath, I pressed on, driven by adrenaline, overriding the protests of my empty stomach and exhausted body.
I ran until the landscape became a blur, unable to distinguish between rocks and shrubs and until fatigue threatened to overwhelm me. By some luck, I stumbled upon a shallow hole in the mountainside. Hastily, I gathered dry brush to cover myself, seeking refuge from the elements.
As I huddled in the makeshift shelter, my sole focus was on silencing the chattering of my teeth and suppressing the fear that threatened to paralyze me. The cold night air seeped through, chilling me to the bone. Desperate for distraction, I grabbed a thicker piece of wood I had found next to the brush. With a sharp rock in hand, I began to carefully sharpen the stick, each deliberate stroke a futile attempt to carve away my mounting dread.