INVASION: Wildest Game

Ch, 7: Survival Instinct

Davi's POV

This kind of technological advancement is still beyond the Earth's technological achievement.

This transportation ring is a masterpiece of engineering and design. It uses unique materials with high single functionality and performance, which really is high-class among all I've encountered in my whole life. This is just one of many. They have more to show that will astonish me even more.

Time Travel? Multiverse and parallel timelines?

How many black holes do they have to harness for their technology?

Even if I live in an era where it is actually possible, first time encountering this one is so incredible that I never imagined.

The light fades off as I landed on a hard rocky surface.

Okay, so, this is not what I was expecting. Because of that teleportation thing, I forgot that I still don't know what the f*ck is happening in the world.

This place is I can say like a cave, a chamber a very extensive chamber. I can only see darkness here that is barely illuminated by the glowing stones and other living organisms. Bioluminescent, in short.

Well, I can say that not all darkness can be pretty bad. This is actually a beautiful sight.

Slowly turning, amazed by the diversity and beauty of the cave, which was filled with stalactites, stalagmites, and colorful formations.

Let me see what this place has in store for me—

However, someone caught me by surprise. She put her hand on my face to cover my mouth to prevent me from making noise.

Luckily, I don't scare easily. This kind of prank won't work on me.

It's too dark here to see her face clearly, but I can see her hand, making a 'shhh!' gesture, telling me to be quiet.

I looked at her face. Long hair and a small face? She's definitely a woman. She's just staring at me and not doing anything else.

Why do I have a feeling that she knows me? She's literally gazing at me like, 'You're not an i***t to not understand what's going on'

I tried to identify her more, and when I realize who she is, I felt glad and relieved. If she's here, Alexa must be here too. But then, I remember the last time I saw them together, and I start to worry a little.

I was about to resist because I don't feel comfortable with her hands on my face, but she glances sideways like she was trying to show me something behind her. She tilts her head slightly, so I can see what's there.

I thought nothing else could surprise me in this place, but I'm literally facing a Kraken right now.

I can barely breathe, feeling terrified.

Who wouldn't be afraid if there's a huge octopus that is capable of eating human flesh right in front of you? It can tear apart a human with its razor-sharp claws and teeth!

The Kraken is in a cave pod, with only its red head and tentacles out of the water. Its tentacles are waving in the air like they could strike any moment and we're dead. We've found a living kraken, right in front of us. This is an incredible discovery, a scientific breakthrough.

I looked at Ivy and she gave me a look that said, 'Don't try anything stupid, or we'll all die' and then she slowly take her hands off.

Hell, yeah! I'm stuck with Ivy Mendez. Still, I am grateful to her for saving my life.

So now, after knowing the situation, let me go back to the same perspective I've had. Darkness is still a depiction of danger, no matter how beautiful it could be.

Since Ivy was trying to make me quiet, I guess it'll be how this monster will be triggered.

My question earlier, 'What is happening to the world?' isn't answered yet, and I got another one, 'Where the f*ck am really I?'

Ivy held my hand and walked me slowly and carefully. We sat on the pavement and we didn't talk, unless we wanna bet our lives.

We leaned on the cave walls and felt the coldness. We're just a few meters away from the Kraken which makes me shiver. I'm also seeing other people that are crippled in their position. Afraid, freezing due to the coldness, and some are hopeless. We all tried to not make any noise to stay alive.

I also realized that when I arrived, some of the glowing stones were not actually stones, but people like me who wore nano fiber suits that had glowing patches.

We have been trapped in the dark cave for what seemed like an eternity. Lost track of accurate time, and of hope.

I am also worried about the other people I knew, especially Alexa. I saw her being taken. She's probably just around here or in the other coordinates.

I turned to Ivy and she pointed to something on the other side of the cave. There was a tunnel opening that a person could fit through. She must have meant that it was the only way out. However, we don't know what's in there. It'd be a risk aside from the fact that before we get there, we need to pass through the Kraken first.

Suddenly, Ivy picked up a stone and threw it at a spot where no one would get hurt. Shockingly, the Kraken's tentacle moved fast and grabbed the stoned.

If I had been the target or created a noise by accident, I would have been caught before I could even react.

***

I have been sitting here for about five minutes now. And others might have been here for half an hour already or more, staring blankly into the air.

I kept thinking and assessing the situation.

I Identify the Kraken as male. He could respond to any sound. It would be easier to spot prey if he'll use his vision by lifting his eyes above the water. But maybe he's protecting his eyes, as it is his weakest point. Also, his tentacles are long enough to reach 10 meters in my estimation, without leaving the water, and they can move very fast.

On the other side of the pod, there is a long tunnel that extends from this chamber. We could try to walk through it to find an exit, but we have to avoid making any noise, which is hard because there are many of us here that could cause it. And the tunnel is very long, it goes for hundreds of yards.

My goal is to get out of this place, but the Kraken is blocking the pod. I need to lure it away with some sound, but running from here while making noise is a bad idea. I need to set up a sound source far enough from me, so it won't catch me with its fast tentacles.

I look at the cave tunnel. It's dark, but because of the bioluminescent creatures, it becomes my trail sight, and I got an idea of how long it would take us if we were going to walk through it. But then I notice something strange. There are red lights flashing at a quite far distance. At first, I thought it was just another type of glowing creature, but upon observing its rhythm, it's giving me the feeling that it was not.

It flashes red light whenever a firefly flies close to it. They must have some kind of motion sensor, and they also make a sound that scares the fireflies away.

I think I found a clue for the way out. I have to take risks. If no one would try, we'll not die here because of this monster, but we'll die out of starving and freezing temperatures.

My idea is to walk quietly and reach 10 meters away from the Kraken. I'll try to toss some rocks on the flashing red light to test something.

I came up with this plan, so I'll be the one to execute it.

I got up and Ivy looked confused. She knew I had a plan, but she couldn't figure it out.

I moved quickly but carefully in the dark cave. Everyone was amazed by my bravery. I could see their faces and they smiled at me. They understood what I was trying to do and I think they were rooting for me. I smiled back and kept going.

I can barely see anything in this pitch-black cave. I walk slightly fast but quietly, avoiding loose stones or any brittle things that could make a sound. I follow the trail of light comes the faint glow of fireflies and other bioluminescent organisms.

I just kept going, trying to make myself weightless.

Not long after, I think I'm already 10 meters away. I am just looking for a better position to stand on, but then I heard the sound of something breaking. It turns out that I stepped onto a wooden branch. And then I heard a low growl even if I'm far enough from the Kraken. I looked back and saw that the Kraken didn't use his tentacles. He might be gauging my distance because I was out of his tentacles' reach.

Suddenly, it moved. Get out of the water, coming for me. I freeze in fear. It knows I'm here. I hold my breath and silently pray to God in my mind. I didn't close my eyes so I'm seeing how it stops right in front of me, sniffing the air. I can feel its presence on my face, smell its foul stench. I can hear its three heartbeats, faster than mine. I can sense its hunger, stronger than mine.

I realize now why it didn't use his eyes. It's because he is blind. He might have a tough battle with something stronger than him.

"Get it done, whatever it takes! It has to work or we're all gone!" Ivy yells at me. She came to my rescue again. The reason the Kraken stopped in his tracks is because Ivy distracted him with a noise. Since the Kraken is blind, he didn't realize I was already right in front of him.

He growls lowly again and made a slow turn.

How can Ivy trust my plan that easily? I'm still checking my theory and It doesn't have certainty at all! She doesn't even know what it is! She's so reckless but upon realizing, what's the odd? We'll die anyways.

It's already here. No fallbacks. It's still better to bet with a try than nothing.

I took a deep breath.

As soon as the Kraken lunged at her, I quickly picked up a stone, the size of my fist and hurled it at the LED alarm. Now that I'm close enough to the flashing red lights, I'm certain that it would work.

It is a simple LED alarm that sticks to any surface and detects vibration. It has a high-pitched 120-decibel siren and a red LED indicator. I just had to smash it and it would make a loud noise. Like a siren alarm.

I was certain that it would work, but I have a bad aim. If it won't break the LED on the first try, Ivy and the others here, including me, would be doomed.

Due to my nervousness, I felt like time is running slowly. My eyes locked on the stone I tossed, hoping it would hit the LED.

And I'm glad the my most luckiest try that I haven't used in the past few days, works at this time. I got the LED hit and It blared a high-pitched 120-decibel siren sound.

"Yes!" I uttered with excitement.

I glanced in Ivy's direction, but the Kraken couldn't stop or turn around because of the momentum that kept him pushed forward. It seemed that Ivy wouldn't be as lucky as me, but I almost forgot again that Ivy is not a lame and helpless girl. She leaped and amazingly avoided it.

After that, the Kraken headed toward the source of the sound, which is the shattered LED alarm. Everyone got a chance now to escape through the tunnel opening. The tunnel was pitch black, so it was a risk to come across without knowing anything inside, but staying here is also a risk factor.

Ivy was escorting people to get into the tunnel and I could see her looking at me from there. The opening is enough for us to fit. They didn't have to crawl or anything, so I could see how they got out of there smoothly.

I waited for the Kraken to reach the LED alarm before I run with them, just to make sure that the Kraken won't divert his attention to me.

After a few seconds of waiting, the Kraken went past me, and then I sprinted.

Ivy was the only one left, waiting for me at the opening of the tunnel.

I can't explain the feeling of hope while I was running for my life. I feel so proud of myself. I knew he couldn't catch me now, not with the siren blaring so loud that he couldn't hear my footsteps.

I was almost there, just seven meters away from safety. But then, the siren alarm stopped.