Until death, chapter 18

Until death, chapter 18

Theme: The Canyon Beast and the Maggots

I felt sudden burning coursing from the sword throughout my body, between my eyes, and I leapt to my feet with an enormous amount of strength, more than anything I had ever encountered. I leapt twenty feet from the canyon bridge into the air, and one of the big crawling insects missed me by inches. I swivelled in mid-air, spun my body twice, and landed on the other side of the incoming insect.

They had two sharp antennae, similar to a mosquito’s but more so than a scorpion’s. I knew if they mistakenly struck me with those ugly ledges, I wouldn’t live to tell the tales. They had eight legs, two large eyes, a mouth like that of a spider, and saliva was dripping from them. I reached forward with a great battle cry, wrapped my hand around the smooth ivory hilt of the sword, which was decorated with runes, and slashed at one creature with all my strength as it dived at me.

I held the sword high above my head, feeling triumphant. I feel its power flowing through my veins and I can feel myself becoming one with it. Then I turned and threw myself into the incoming hordes of creatures. I felt myself moving faster than I had ever been, reaching back and slashing at the insect left and right. I had thought that the weight of the sword would be slowing me down, but I was happy to discover that it was pushing me faster instead. It was as if the sword had its mind, and it was killing anything that seemed like a threat to it.

I felt myself scraping through incest after an insect. Their green blood filled the entire canyon and my body altogether. I shredded one insect but was too slow to see the one that was coming behind me. It was too late, and I braced myself for the attack. However, I felt something lash out of my body. It was like lighting. It struck the insect, and its painful screeching filled the entire canyon. That is when reality dawns on me. My power is lashing out involuntarily, which raises another question in my head. Who am I? And what kind of power am I hosting?

I found myself cutting through insect after an insect, their painful shrieks filling the entire atmosphere. I was taking them out one after the other, while the sword was slashing them in half as if they were not even there. With the help of the sword and my energy, I drove scores of insects back and beat some into the depth of the canyon. I blocked their long, sharp poisonous attacks, then slivered them into two as if I were cutting an onion.

With a fierce battle cry, I charged at the remaining hordes of the beast who were trying to escape towards General Zod and his team. Slashing with all my might, I killed them left and right, back and forth, going faster and faster in a chaotic blur. Instead of my arms feeling tired and weak, I would rather feel invisible amidst the insects.

Soon, I found myself standing alone without any of those crawling insects. Using my eyes to examine the damage I had done, I shook my head in astonishment. I can’t believe I have just slaughtered thousands of crawling insects. Their dead bodies and blood piled up and littered all around the canyon bridge, not counting those that I fell off the other side.

However, a loud rumbling sound jolted me out of my thoughts. I grabbed my sword more tightly again, waiting for whatever was coming out again. I am now a new man. I am determined to fight my way out of this shitty world and return to my team. I can’t even remember how long I’ve been stuck here. Anyhow, that doesn’t matter again. What concerns me now is how to fight my way out because I missed my team so much.

The canyon shook more vigorously, and I could see the bridge that led to the mainland cracking up. Not wasting another second, I raced for the cracking bridge, getting ready to leave the middle before I got trapped here in the nucleus. With all my might, I leapt up, aiming straight for the dry and solid ground. I was halfway to arid land when the familiar being directed his hand towards me. Before I could guess what was going on, I felt an invisible force hit me, which sent me back to the middle of the canyon. Before I could blink my eyes, the canyon bridge was destroyed automatically, leaving me trapped in the middle of the canyon.

Slowly, I dragged my body up, and the resentment in my eyes was visible. I reached for my sword, but I was disappointed when I discovered that the sword had grown heavier again. That can only mean one thing: the strange power has deserted me again. I have been left with my physical combat and survival instincts once again. Anger surged through my veins, knowing that I was once again left with my problem. I wish there was a way I could channel this strange and unknown power, but I can’t just guess. The thought alone sends a cold shiver down my spine.

“Raise the water,” the veiled man said, and I could hear the venom in his voice. “Release the tentacle critter and the water maggots.” He ordered

As soon as the veiled man ordered this, I felt a gushing of water from the depths of the canyon. I wished there was a way for me to escape this, but I couldn’t find any. The water is fast rising to the highest peak of the canyon. However, that doesn’t bother me. I know how to swim, and I am sure that my skills will sustain me. But what I saw floating on top of the water was the one that sent more fear throughout my body.

Floating on top of the water are small insects that don’t look like ants or maggots. Their dozens of sharp teeth, which were lined up in their mouths perfectly, were gritting together as if waiting for me. Their shape is like that of a soldier ant, however, they weren’t one.
I looked across the canyon, my eyes examining the atmosphere with military eyes, looking for a way out. Then an idea suddenly crept into my head. If I can swim towards the other side of the canyon without getting bitten by this devil’s maggots, perhaps I can find my way out of this place.

I gaze at the water again, using the opportunity to scrutinize the position of the water and that of the maggots. I jumped inside the water as the water was now only a few metres away from the canyon bridge. Then I activated my water techniques, flapping my arms and legs together like a fish. To avoid being seen by the veiled man and his team, I pushed my body deep into the water. Besides, there was no way I would be able to counter any unexpected attack.

With all my strength, I wobbled as I had never done before in my life. Thank God, the water is not moving. That would have been difficult because the tides might have directed me somewhere else. It was only rising, which made me wonder when it was going to stop. Nonetheless, I didn’t let that stop me. I was swimming like a fish, fully aware that my life was in jeopardy and that this was my only way out.

I can feel my lungs burning badly due to a lack of air. “Come on, lung, can’t you endure it more?” I said inwardly.

“You will face your problem alone; you can’t drag us into your calamity.” I could hear my brain and soul replying to me.

“Shut up, brain,” I retorted.”Not every organ will be as useless as you.”

However, a sharp sting on my back disrupted the conversation with my organs. I used my left hand to check the things, and I wasn’t surprised to see that one of the maggots had bitten me. But what baffles me is the rate at which it pricks me. I felt another morsel on my left lap. I quickly controlled my hand to the spot and removed the maggots. I raised my head, took a deep breath and used the opportunity to check my surroundings.

I heaved in relief when I saw that I was now less than ten metres away from my escape point. Ignoring all the pain that those ungodly maggots caused me and the burning of my lungs, I pushed further to the other edge of the canyon, Stone. Now I was two metres away. With a final burst of energy, I grabbed the edge of the canyon and used my other hand for support. With great effort, I managed to drag my body up to the dry ground. I was rolling away from the edge of the canyon, so I wouldn’t risk falling in again when I felt my body hitting something hard. I raised my head, the salty water spilling out of my mouth as my eyes tried to adjust to my environment.

“There is nowhere to hide, Rey Reed Smith.” I heard the veils man’s dark gritty voice. “Either you told me where to find the nectar, or I chastised you for eternity. “He said in a threatening tone.

I yelled at him, “I don’t f****ng know anything about the sh*t you are calling Nectar,” but he let out an evil smirk instead, which was visible even with the veil he was wearing. “It seems you have the wrong guy…” I was still speaking when I felt my body hurled back into the canyon depths from which I had just emerged.

I had thought I would land on the water instead, but I felt myself flying down to the deepest part of the canyon. That is when reality dawned on me. The water had dried out and I was now plummeting down to the end of the canyon bridge. Without being told, I knew I was heading straight to my death. Not wanting to witness my demise, I closed my eyes in anticipation of my head hitting the hard rock.

However, my assumptions were proven wrong when my body splashed against the water again. That means the idiot only made the water return to half and didn’t dry it out as I thought. Nonetheless, that doesn’t mean it was not painful. I felt a terrible headache as my head collapsed into the water first, followed by the rest of my body. The maggots water rushed into my mouth and my nose altogether, while it quickly surges through my nostrils to my brain, and the one that enters my mouth goes straight for my throat before they finally take a settlement in my stomach.

I jerked up instantly, my body floating on top of the water, and sneezing frequently. After a while, my body adjusted back to its previous position, and that idiot remained calm. I took a deep breath to calm my nerves, and my eyes searched for the hook and every cranny of the water at the same time, looking for any sign of the evil maggots.

Thank goodness, they weren’t present again, and that brought a little hope into my gut. Then I examined the canyon rock that surrounded me again, my eyes looking for a way out. After what seemed like forever, I finally found a way out. even though it was risky and might even cost my life. However, they are still the only choice I have. I will have to climb the rock.

Not wasting another second, I set to work. Using my hand to find a good spot where I am sure that I wouldn’t slip I set to act. Even though the hike to the top isn’t going to be an easy job, Even from here, if my calculations aren’t wrong, the height of the canyon is about thirty thousand feet high.
Knowing how long I still had to go, I set to work immediately. My hand and leg were clamped on the rock like spiderman.

My hand was aching badly with exhaustion. My leg and thigh weren’t excluded from the pain. They were hurting badly due to the hard climb. I don’t know how long I had been climbing, but I was sure that it had been more than two hours. I look down towards where I began and towards my destination. Even though the distance is still far, I have covered more than eighteen thousand feet. However, a loud splash from the water jolted me out of my thoughts. I returned my gaze to the water, my eyes wondering about whatever was disturbing the water.

I prayed with all my heart that it shouldn’t be something that would stop my journey. I am sure that if anything sends me back to the water, I will surely give up because I don’t have the strength to climb again. Even though I am not always lucky when it comes to wishing, I still will with all my heart that it shouldn’t be what I am thinking.

However, my assumption was right when a black shimmering creature emerged from the depths of the water. That is how my mind flashes back to what the veiled man said about the creature and the maggots. Instantly, I checked my side, trying to locate my sword. But I was met with nothing. That means I probably lost the sword when I was plummeting down earlier. Before I could guess what was going on, a tentacle shot out of the water, which knocked me back inside the water.

Without anybody telling me, I knew my suffering had just begun.

“Yes, this is just the beginning.” My brain laughed.

T.b.c