"We are all fighting for something, but victory demands something in return"
We swam to the second flag with the letter T written on it. I am a little nervous because Fifth is the only guy we could be within getting the flags. I hope the other members will be safe and sound.
"Here we are," Aeith points to the beautiful coral reefs. We were inside a small cave with coral reefs of different colors and sizes. It looks refreshing and captivating. I hope I can always see wonderful scenery such as this.
Author says that several coral reefs are a sign of an enemy's base. Besides that, my two eyes can clearly see the two small shining golden flags stuck in the sand with coral reefs surrounding them. Those are the two flags worth 30 points each. So, those are the flags that we should grab to win. Wait, where is their biggest flag at 70 points? Aeith motioned Fifth and Sixth to swim down and bring Seventh back to where First was.
"We're missing the other one," I stated as we looked for it.
"Yeah," realization of Fifth. "We're not yet done here."
"How's that? Do we find it first?" Fourth asked.
"Where is it? Geez, this is so annoying!" Aeith is getting impatient. She must have been so excited that we'd seen the gold team's base, but we can't find the big one. We all want to complete the flags to have perfect points but we're here with another challenge.
Even though it was a bit dark inside the cave we entered, we immediately saw their flag even though it was poorly lit and far away because the gold-colored flag was glowing.
"Ah, finally!" Fifth got the two small flags stuck in the sand. We decided to let him keep it until we finish the task. But where is the big one?
"Let's find the other one. Better if we split up," Sixth suggested, which we complied with.
I swam to the left side of the cave. I can only see more coral reefs over here. It took us a couple of minutes to search for it, but it seems not to be here.
"'Argh!" someone wailed.
I heard an alarming voice— it was Fourth. I swam back and was surprised at what I saw.
The whole members of the gold team... they are here at their own base. Why are they here in their own base instead of ours? My gaze turned upwards when Fourth and Aeith swam up because their glass bubbles had burst just like what happened to Seventh's! How did that happen to them? I observed our surroundings and looked out for octopuses because there might be another sea creature attack but there's none, and there's no octopus ink released that burst Seventh's glass bubble. So, how did it happen to Fourth and Aeith?
"What are you guys doing here?" Fifth interrogated them authoritatively while holding the two small golden flags.
"Why? Is it bad to hang out at our base?" Sectwen's reply with a sarcastic tone.
Do they have business here at their base? But Author did not mention anything about it.
"Isn't this your base and you should be targeting ours?" Sixth questioned them—the same question that formed in my head.
"Ah, is that so? We actually got the big one. Here," Fifzen showed us the big silver flag he was carrying. "Can you just tell us where the little ones are?" he added, and he smirked.
They also got our silver flag but where are our two small silver flags? Wait a minute, are they asking us where to find our two small silver flags when they already had our one big silver flag? Aren't they supposed to look for it where they found the two small ones? Why would they bother coming to their base if it is supposed to be in the silver team's base?
"We don't know what you're saying. We're just here to get the flags." Fifth replied in a serious tone.
"Really?" Sectwen seems doubtful. "You'll tell us, or we'll blow those bubbles on your head?" She threatens us.
What does this mean? I looked back at Thirtwen and Sixzen but they just avoided my eyes and stood still. I turned to Ninezen. I stared at him with a confused look. He also averted his eyes from me. What's going on with them?
"What do you mean?" I asked, trying to brace myself. We've seen the ink from the octopus that popped Seventh's glass bubble, but I do not know how it happened to Fourth and Aeith.
"Author gave it to us," she showed us a long sharp needle. "Didn't I ask earlier how we can play when there are only six of us and nine of you? His answer was 'in this game, there is nothing unfair', so he gave it to us to make the fight fair. This thing shatters the bubble and that's why we're here! "
So, that's what Author was referring to. It gave the gold team an advantage which is the needle since they're shorthanded. To make everything a fair fight between two teams, this was the solution Author came up with. I agree that it's unfair to have a nine versus six match. But I don't know if I am in favor of the use of a needle or it's getting us now a big disadvantage. Sectwen must have used the needle to burst Fourth's and Aeith's. One wrong move and she can easily destroy the thing that's keeping us alive underwater. We should be more careful. I notice Sectwen is getting bolder, isn't she? It's like she's progressing to her character.
"That's ours," Fifzen and Sixzen warned Fifth to return to them the small golden flags we got.
They ambushed us here asking where our two small silver flags were but at the same time, seizing the two small golden flags that we got. If they can't claim our two small silver flags, they'll just steal the flags that we got from them to secure their win. What a smart move.
What are we going to do? They really got us. We had a low chance of resisting because of the needle Sectwen is holding. Getting our glass bubbles on our heads pierced is life-threatening if we can't grasp air above the sea surface. We've swum far and quite deep. Fifth handed it over halfheartedly as we all agreed. We can't risk our bubbles over the flags but the two different decisions both result in a consequence. Is it right to give up on our flags? I am surprised when Fifzen and Sixzen grabbed me and held me with force to stay still. Fifzen took the needle from Sectwen and faced it in front of my glass bubble.
"All right," Fifzen composed himself. "Will you tell us where your flags are, or will I blow this out of Second's head?" Fifzen threatened us.
It saddens me, not because I got captured, but because our friends are being like this. We can't find their big gold flag and they can't find our two small silver flags either. Did Author hide it purposely as part of the game? We know nothing about this. We are getting more confused!
"O-Oh, all right, all right. Where's our base?" Fifth is also confused. We also don't know where the flags are hidden at our base. The only goal of the game is to find the opponent's base and take the flags in it, so we don't know where our base is. We were just surprised why the gold team is here at their base.
"You should've known," Fifzen replied.
I see something flashing that caught my eye on the right side of the cave. I squinted my eyes to see it clearly. If I'm correct, it is gold in color. Gold treasure? Gold pieces of jewelry underwater? Another sea creature? Or?
"Me, I know where the two flags are!" my courageous answer made the gold team's heads turn to me.
"You knew?" Sectwen sought clarity and I nodded. "Keep watching Second with a needle while swimming." She commands Fifzen and Thirtwen. "You two, just keep an eye on our base," she ordered Sixzen and Aeizen. "Ninezen, come with us."
Fifth and Sixth are frowning at me so I just winked at them. They must be baffled at what I am doing. I paused as we passed on the right side out of the small cave, where I saw the flashing object. I stared at it as I stared alternately at Fifth to catch his guard. In a matter of seconds, he got what I meant.