CHAPTER EIGHTEEN - FIND THE MAP
1095 Words
System Update
Victor Vaneki
Rank: Riser
Level: 7
Ability: Fire
Originator: Blaze
Sponsor: None
Title: Ascient
Stats;
Strength: 80 Speed: 80
Stamina: 78 Intelligence: 76
***
System Update
Karenia Zari
Rank: Riser
Level: 8
Ability: Enhancer
Special skill: Frenzy
Active Time: 00:00
Originator: Beast
Sponsor: None
Title: Prodigy
Stats;
Strength: 86 Speed: 84
Stamina: 82 Intelligence: 84
***
System Update
Kiro Ner
Rank: Riser
Level: 10
Ability: Force Field
Originator: Phantom
Sponsor: None
Title: XXXXX
Stats;
Strength: 108 Speed: 106
Stamina: 106 Intelligence: 106
***
The morning after they had set out to get the map that Kiro suggested was long an eventful, but fortunately so. They encountered a lot of mid-level creatures along the way and a few high-level ones. Though they were exhausted, at least they were able to level up quite a bit. They had taken the longer route to avoid as many teams as possible and ended up running into so many creatures. That would explain why there were barely any teams around them. But it was good exposure and coins for them. And for the other two, it was good practice. There had gotten more comfortable with their abilities and there was some sort of natural feel to it at the time.
But the area they walked through was demoralizing as it was energy draining. A swamp is what it was. The marshy wet grounds made it difficult to move and some places were deeper than others. Karenia cursed with every step they took. Unfortunately for them, that area completely nullified the use of their powers, otherwise, Kiro’s ability would have come in handy. A strange place it was. Victor looked like he was just a second away from breaking and Kiro didn’t look any better.
“This map better be worth it Kiro. If not, Jovak will be the least of your worries.” Karenia was very edgy. The only thing keeping her from vetting out her anger was how delicate the terrain was. The last thing she wanted was to be swallowed whole by a swamp. She didn’t survive all this while to die in a place like that.
“Persevere Karenia, we’re almost there,” Kiro said. he wasn’t looking any better himself.
“That’s what you said an hour ago. I hate to say this, but I’m with Karenia on this one,” Victor said. it was quite a miracle as to how he was still moving. On a good day, before the apocalypse began and they got bestowed with these abilities, Victor was anything but athletic. Very far from it in fact. And neither was Kiro however. And it wasn’t like their new abilities made him more athletic. Karenia was the only one blessed with physical prowess. Perhaps that was what responsible for her affinity to the beast origin because it suited her very well. In a way, their abilities suited them very well
“Relax. You’ll be glad we got it once we do.” But he lied. And they knew. The only one who knew the usefulness of the map was Kiro himself. And while it would help in keeping them safe, Victor and Karenia had little to no interest in it.
“You like to live reckless, don’t you? Making promises like that,” Karenia threatened. She was only a hair’s length from breaking down.
“We’re here,” Kiro proclaimed.
“Here where?” Victor asked in bewilderment. They were in the middle of the swamp. Nothing different ahead and nothing different behind. Karenia c****d her head in rage and took brisk steps towards Kiro. Kiro beckoned on her to calm down as she approached but she was dead set on her target. And as she got close, they all sank though the ground.
It was a strong pull, almost like being flushed down the toilet, but without the spiralling movements. Just a straight, quick fall. They landed on clean ground. While Karenia might have been relieved about getting off the swamp, the thought of the way she got there, the disgusting feeling she had all over her body as the slimed ran through every nook and cranny of her body. The irritation was paralyzing. “You two go ahead, I’ll stay here,” she said.
“Karenia, we need to get moving. We’ll wash up once we leave here.” Kiro understood how she felt. Victor too was on the verge of collapsing. It wasn’t new to him. He had a lot of experience with things like this. While his body may not have the stamina and strength he accumulated over those fives, his mind still kept his experiences and dispositions fresh.
“Why don’t you have the water element? You could have been useful right now.”
“Well, miss ‘useful’, why don’t you run around in circles and see if all that slime comes off?” Victor retorted.
“You guys sure don’t know when not to argue,” Kiro sighed. If anyone tried to impersonate any of these two, or say maybe take over their minds or something, in a bid to infiltrate the group, they would be found out with relative ease. They fight over the most trivial of issues and in a lot of cases, in the most awkward of moments.
Kiro walked ahead and it didn’t take them too long to follow. The light was dim, but bright enough to see the way. Victor tried to use his abilities to lighten up the way, but they still couldn’t use it. “We’re defenceless Kiro. If anything attacks us, we are gone for.”
“No, we’re not. We’re stronger now. I’m sure we can manage something,” Kiro reassured him.
“So, we can get attacked. Great. How is it that we can’t use our abilities anyway?” Victor asked.
“This place is called a neutral zone. There aren’t any creatures from the surface here but there might be a few others. Nothing to be worried about. There are very few places like this however. We’ll be out of here in no time. The last time I came here, it was completely safe.”
“How did you even find out about this place?” Karenia asked.
“Well, we had other methods of searching for information then. Much stressful methods. But you need not worry. We’ll be out of here very soon.”
From the far end of their path, a few eyes lit up. First it was slow, but they sped up really quickly at Kiro and his team. “What are those? I thought you said we were safe?” Victor cried.
“I was wrong. Things have changed. Those things aren’t supposed to be here?”
“What do we do?”
“Run. We’ll be dead if those things catch us.”
- Writer
