Navan
But soon, the icy mountain of happiness and courage melted into waters of terror.
When they reached the Dark Lands, nobody needed to tell them. The ambience, the choking breath of phobia, and the oppressive atmosphere filled the jet.
All they could see were skulls diving freely in the air. It was a stark contrast to the beauty they had fallen in love with.
Ryan: This is creepy.
Ely: I thought I was the only one who thought that.Suddenly, a large greenish furious eyeball opened beneath the flying jet. Almost instantly, the jet was attacked, causing heavy turbulence.
Ryan: What's happening?!
(His voice made it clear he wasn't ready to die.)
Kylock: It seems like something attacked the jet!
Before he could finish, the jet was blasted again.
Kylock: Brace yourselves!
The jet began to break apart. This was far worse than they expected. This wasn't an adventure—it was a game of life and death.
Then an immense strike hit the jet. It shattered and they fell from high altitude
In the air, it felt like death was guaranteed… until they landed on rough, cement-like ground.
They gathered themselves like survivors of a terrible accident—because they truly were.
Iriel: So much for one hundred percent durability.
Ely: What in the world is happening?
Kylock: The jet was attacked.
The place was extremely dark. The wind was high, and roars echoed from afar.
Alicia: By what?
Before she finished, a greenish blast like a comet attacked them. They split up and looked up.
A black, fierce, gigantic bird roamed above them.That sight sent chills down their spines. Phobia took control,
Its wings overshadowed them like eternal darkness. It roared fiercely… but gracefully.
Alicia: What in the world is that thing?
Kylock: I don't know.
Another strike shot at them. Ely ran beside Kylock, while the other three moved to the opposite side.
Kylock: Everyone attack!
Ryan shot blue flames into the sky at the bird. Alicia attacked using her long, sharp, spidery legs. Iriel fired her blasts. Kylock shot electron bolts.
But Ely could do nothing.
Ely: How do I attack?!
Kylock: Jam your fists together!
He did it immediately, and the force of his fists launched upward, striking the bird in the air.
Ely: At least I'm useful.
Unfortunately, their efforts were a waste. They didn't even scratch it.
The bird was sharp, agile, and highly skilled. It attacked them like a dragon spitting fire, hitting them with brutal force.
Its strength was twice theirs. They were beneath it.
Ryan: Do you think this is working, Cap?(cos he was certain it wasn't)
Kylock: We have to continue, or else we're done for!
Ryan: We're done for right now!They were sure the creature was ready to murder them.
Alicia: I'm starting to regret this.
Iriel: This is no fun. This is dangerous.
It amazed them how this creature was stronger than Marthadon's greatest beings. Their attacks couldn't suppress it, and they were getting tired.
Ryan: Now what…? (weakly)
Kylock saw his soldiers weakening. He had to find a solution, so he forced himself to think harder.
That was when he noticed something: whenever they attacked in chorus, the bird moved a little.
Kylock: Maybe this is the solution.
(He thought to himself.)
Everyone cease attack. Attack only on my command!They were surprised, but they obeyed, he has proven himself to be a good captain, trustworthy and more powerful)
Kylock started running in a circle, generating energy through his system. After a while, he leaped onto the bird.
Then he began running around it—from its head to its feet—while still in the air. The bird flew higher in confusion as blue stripes covered its body.
Now was the moment.
Kylock used the bird as a stepping stone, leaped higher, and gathered all his energy into one punch. He struck the bird and landed on it.
The creature cried out in pain (this was practically it medicine being returned to it)
Kylock landed among them.
Kylock: Ely! Throw Ryan and Alicia toward its eyes!
Kylock: That's the only way—if we don't want to die!
Ely: (as he heard this, he caught his grip) Okay, come on, guys.
(He lowered his hands, and the two stepped on them. With his strength, he lifted them up. They leaped high toward the target—its eyes. Ryan stabbed the left eye with his flamethrower, while Alicia struck the right eye with her spidery sharp blades. The creature's eyes flared in pain.)
Kylock: (through the comms) Give it more energy!
(They infused more energy, as their captain commanded.)
Now jump off!
(Immediately, they removed their blades and jumped off.)
Kylock: Now Ely and Iriel, attack!
(They attacked without hesitation.)
Kylock: Stop(It was as if he knew what would happen. The creature collapsed onto the hard ground like the walls of Jericho… but surprisingly, it didn't die.)
Ely: I'm sure this thing isn't dead yet… or is it?
Kylock: No. Everyone attack!
(They poured their greatest energy into it. Zadox stood in the air, smirked suspiciously, and flew away. He was observing they were really strong he thought and let's see how long they could last. Their energy was powerful enough to bring the creature to its end. Its body started cracking, and Kylock noticed it.)
Kylock: Everyone run!
(They didn't understand why, but they obeyed. He had proven himself trustworthy—a good leader—so they followed without hesitation. As they fled, the creature's body cracked faster and then exploded. Iriel and Alicia were fast enough to reach Navan, but the other two were slow. Kylock placed his hands behind them and, with his speed, got them into the cave of Navan immediately.)(Inside the cave, it looked like an old dome. Lightning ushered them in. Some struck in front of them but did them no harm. The ambience was eerie and strange. Even the oxygen sent sudden chills down their spines.)
Kylock: No worries. It's just a hologram.
(He was referring to the lightning. Still, the aura of the place was deadly and devouring. The dark atmosphere planted phobia, and the silent noise brought freezing fear. They walked carefully, and their steps made no sound, but this place made silent echoes that increased it horror,
After a while, they saw a long vertical staircase.
Kylock: We go gently.
(He stepped onto it, then slowly started moving. His warriors followed in the same careful manner.)
(Back at the fortress, Hazel was controlling the Skik… but it got destroyed by something she didn't know.)
Hazel: (angrily) Shoot. I've got to contact them.
(As she was about to do it, she sensed something was about to strike—something she knew wouldn't be good. She backflipped over a horned ogre-like creature and forced it to kneel. It was Og. She punched him back into the bluish fluid where he had been, then plugged the translator onto him.)
Og: I mean no harm. Please don't hurt me.
Hazel: Who are you, and why did you appear on Earth?
Og: I am Og, from the Dark Valleys.
Hazel: What…? (thunderstruck) From another dimension?
As the quaternions and their captain climbed, Ryan noticed the steps were vanishing behind them.)
Ryan: Uhm… do these steps vanish immediately after we step on them?
(Kylock knew what was going on.)
Kylock: (loudly) Everyone move faster!
(Immediately, they stopped walking slowly and started moving quickly. They reached a hallway.)
Ely: That was close.
(Suddenly, bluish eyeball-like things appeared and fired bluish blasts.)
Kylock: Dodge and run!
Alicia: (dodging easily, cos these blasts are slow)Why is it that we always have to run here?
(Dodging the blasts they entered a door that closed as soon as they got inside.)
Kylock: Seems like the Skik got destroyed.
Iriel: (fearful) What?!
Ely: (same tone as Iriel) Then we're technically doomed.
Kylock: Not yet.(he absolutely knew how dangerous it was but he couldn't just say something to weigh his team down.
The ground was rocky and slightly hot. Kylock moved forward and the sight he beheld was deadly a larva pond, with a wooden bridge stretched across it. The bridge looked old and weak, like it could only take a few people before breaking. The others moved up beside him and stared. It was highly suicidal,with this, they had seen for themselves that this place wasn't a place for adventural fun as they had thought, joining the Mart Force means a lot, thier lives had changed, and they have to risk thier lives a lot of times)
Iriel: Seems like this place really is the deadliest, just like you said.
(Kylock stepped onto the bridge, which was slightly beneath them, experience seemed to push him forward, he was used to this,)
Ely: Seems like we have no choice.
(The four followed. The bridge screeched.)
Kylock: Just keep moving, and don't look down… because my speed would rip it off.
Ely: (turning it into a recitation) Keep moving, don't look down.
(They walked carefully, taking each step in fear—because this was like romancing death itself.
But when they reached the middle of the bridge, seven baboon-like creatures sprang out of the larva valley. Their bodies were flaming rocks.
Now this was death itself.
As they beheld these agents of the grim reaper, their spirits sank, the system froze for a while due to intense phobia,)
Ely: Now we are dead
.Kylock: We keep fighting until we are.
Ryan: What?
(The creatures attacked. They recovered immediately and defended themselves with their organic weapons. The creatures had great physique, but they were easy to destroy. Unfortunately, that didn't make things better—because every time they destroyed one, more came.)
Kylock: Everyone move forward while you attack!
Ryan: How is that even possible?
Kylock: (yelling) That's our only way to get out of here alive!
(Kylock struck and moved first. The rest followed his example. They progressed carefully. Kylock was the first to get off the bridge. Iriel and Alicia followed. But as soon as they crossed, the weak bridge broke. The weight was too much to bear.
Ryan and Ely fell.
Ryan's mind raced—Was this the end? He was falling, floating in the air. Ely was below him. Memories rushed through his head: his parents, the unanswered mystery of who killed them…
No… I can't die.
The others watched their comrades fall. They could do nothing but scream and wish, with all their hearts, that this was just a dream. They were already part of their lives.
Iriel stared into Ryan's eyes, her heart raced rapidly as if she was the one falling and a tear fell,
That seemed to awaken Ryan.
He fired his flamethrower at a rock while falling, hooking himself onto it. Then he grabbed Ely's hands.
Ely: (shouting in pure phobia) Ahhh!
Ryan: (looking down at him in pain) Guys!
(He screamed.)
Kylock: (relieved to hear their voices) You guys are okay, right?!
Ryan: Yeah… but soon we may get toasted.
(The heat from the greenish larvae was intense.)
Kylock: Hold on!
(Kylock formed two long ropes with his energy. Ryan and Ely held on. With Alicia and Iriel's help, they pulled them up. Alicia and Iriel ran toward them.)
Iriel didn't know what came over her—she hugged Ryan immediately. His heart skipped, his cold heart suddenly went warm, in her grip,he totally forgot the burden he beared for the past ten years, for the first time he felt different,
She didn't say a word,)
Alicia: (awkward) Are you guys okay?(Iriel loosened her grip immediately, snapping back to her senses.)
Ely: Partly.
Ryan: This place is as deadly as you said. That was romancing death itself.
Kylock: Luckily, you guys are alive(he and Iriel avoided eye contact, she was back to her senses she thought "what in the world did I do ", this life threatening experience
didn't stop them from moving forward. They couldn't stop even if they wanted to. They had to get out of there. They continued their journey. This time, it wasn't a hallway—it was a door. It opened as soon as they reached it.)
What greeted them was a frozen atmosphere, frozen ground beneath their feet, and moisture in the air.
They stepped gently on the ice. It felt like an ice age trapped inside a room. They studied the environment carefully, gazing around wonderment, the environs seemed harmless, and a bit natural, a stark contrast of the places in this place
Iriel: Seems like ice in Marthadon is just like Earth's.
Kylock: No.
Ely: No?
Ryan: Then does that mean danger?
Kylock: One hundred percent.(this statement evaporated thier afore thoughts about this place, speaking of the devil,
with great force, long snake-like creatures in steel armour rose from beneath them.)
(Back at the fortress, Og was still being questioned by Hazel.)
Og: I was the one who sent the message. And those things you're fighting… they're from my dimension.
Hazel: What?!
Og: I created them. I was tricked. I thought it was something that would improve the dimension… I didn't know his motive.
(His face showed he was telling the truth.)
Hazel: (keenly) By who?
Og: The person who told your team to look for an antidote.
Hazel: (amused, confused) Lilyo the Koran?
Og: (loudly) You have to stop him! He orchestrated all this to destroy you!(now this was confusing to Hazel, she was getting lost in her mind)
Hazel: (yelling) How do I trust you—the one who created those things attacking our dimension?!
Og: You don't have to. There is no energy centitude in Navan. That proves it was a trap.
(Hazel immediately went to confirm it.)
Hazel: Give me the energy centitude of Navan.(A map appeared on the screen. She found none. The result slapped her with shock.)
Hazel: Oh crap!(now she found herself, it dawned on her that this was a trap, thoughts started rushing through her mind, imagination on what could have possibly happened to her team, the kids, thier lives were at risk and the skik was dead she was technically paralyzed to help them, she couldn't even contact them,)
(The quaternions and their captain had already begun merging with the environment. What they saw froze them. The armoured snake-like creatures attacked. They were weak and powerless already. The frozen ground cracked, exposing the waters beneath. They drowned… and blacked out.)
When they woke up, their vision was dizzy and their heads ached. They were on their feet, tied to a standing rock.
Someone had captured them… but who?