Journey Part-6

The nostalgic view of his past brought a brief smile on Klyne's face; as he swung the swing faster, with each time reaching higher than before.

The still wind clashed with his face, reverberated it.

Then, taking a deep breath, clutching the chains he stood up. He was standing perpendicularly on a moving swing!

"I still don't like doing this, He did have a great imagination capacity, "  he gulped down his dry throat as he jumped from the swing at its top.

In a very brief moment of time, adrenaline rushed through his body.

But, everything went upside down when he jumped onto the tree; and matched himself to a thick branch.

He pulled his entire body up and stood on the branch; following up to the trunk, where he rested his body on its top.

"That was kinda safe, I guess?"

He now looked at the seesaw through the leaves and branches blocking his vision.

"She still must be here, "

He turned around, where he found a nest, above his head. "There is she, " he climbed up further and reached the rest.

"Phew, "

He looked at the nest. It had only one egg left, and no one was around.

He picked it up carefully, as a ringing sound rang through his senses.

*You have run out of time*

*Whom have you decided to play with?*

*You are holding an unknown egg. Are you willing to adopt it, and take its care?*

"No, I will not play with it but will let the two children take care, and play with it, " he carefully got down the tree and marched towards the two kids.

"They are quiet, " he looked at the two figures floating above them both. "I will play with them both, but with this as my proxy."

*You have cleared the first puzzle*

*You can now unlock the second lesson*

The entire park was being sucked into a single black point until nothing left and Klyne woke up from his dream.

'Iverson's stories we're always so stupid.' He opened his eyes and got up from the bed.

Yawning, and then stretching his hands wide, he buttoned his shirt and left the cabin.

~~~~

"Veru, are you asleep?"

"Nah! I couldn't sleep well."

"I need to go out. Please come with me."

Veru blinked his eyes slowly. "We shouldn't go outside except for emergencies."

Sanim slowly whispered something in his ear; he could feel the sudden spike of temperature coming from her.

"Oh! Why didn't you tell me sooner?" He got up and took a leaf of fortune. "Hina, Hose, are you awake?"

"..."

Hearing no reply, he gave a breath of relief and went towards the rope ladder.

"You follow me. Let me check for people." He climbed the ladder and pushed the trap door open. He peeped through the trapdoor. "It isn't morning yet."

The sky was still dark, filled with bright white stars, and a big crescent moon lurking in the clouds. "He turned around, finding no one around, he signaled the girl to come out. Sanim followed his signal and climbed up through the trapdoor.

Her black hair glittered in the moonlight and her red eyes seemed to have devoured the darkness near him.

"You do know where it is, right?"

Sanim shook her face, which was reddened in embarrassment; and the moonlight did everything it could to emphasize it.

Veru closed the trapdoor and hid behind the wooden frame next to the wheels.

He looked at the moon, resting his head on the cardboard when he heard footsteps approaching in his direction.

Very peeled through the corner, Klyne was resting by the wooden railings on the edge.

His eyes moved towards the red-eyed girl who just appeared and was moving towards the trapdoor, searching for him.

'Should I come out and reveal myself?" 

Biting his lips, he got up, revealing himself to Klyne, who happened to be looking in his direction

His heartbeat grew faster every minute that passed.

"How did you come here, on this ship?" Klyne asked, but soon he lost his footing, and the ship violently trembled.

Sanim when found Veru holding the pole, ran towards him, and grabbed his hand.

The wind which a few moments ago was calm now became furious and roared like a dragon. 

Thunders crackled, flashing up and illuminating the entire sky filled up with clouds.

Whirls appeared on the surface out of nowhere and grew bigger in size. It spanned over half of the ship, and its mouth was welcoming the ship.

Tightening his grip, he clutched to Sanim. "We need to get them out."

Heavy showers of rain fell down, drenching the couple, as Klyne laid unconsciously on the wooden floor.

Veru's heart trembled as he looked towards Klyne. 'What am I even thinking? My first priority should be opening the trapdoor.'

Veru pulled the trapdoor, Hina was already climbing. He moved his forward, grabbing her hand, pulling her up.

"Hose, come up quickly." He cried looking at Hose, who still was climbing the ladder.

With such a thunderstorm passing, everyone on the ship came out of their cabin to the front. "Hose, climb quickly."

Hose pulled himself up, but his speed was slower than before. "Hina, did he get injured?"

Hina looked at him with her frozen eyes, her white hair drenched by the heavy drizzle stuck with her skin.

"Hose, come fast!" Veru screamed.

The drops become heavier along with his breath. The time slowed, Veru turned around. 

The tiny drizzle hitting the ship, the thunder crackling in the skies.

His eyes rolled seeing some coming there, all in white suits. Everything was slowed down and without giving it much of a thought, Veru grabbed Hose's hand, and everything went back to normal.

Drip…. Drip…. Drop…..

The sound of the droplets hitting the bottom was distinctive, and Veru could hear it clearly.

Hose lamented, and somehow Veru managed to pull him up. "Are you all right?"

Hose looked at the green-haired boy. "Where were you gone? Just because of you, I got this injury. We searched for you everywhere only to find you had already left us."

Hose looked at Hina, and then his eyes fell on the black-haired girl standing near the sailing wheel, and his eyes widened.

"How?"

Veru patted his shoulder.

"I will tell you everything I know, but first we stick together." 

He looked at Hina, and then at Sanim. Hina turned back and realized what Veru was trying to say. She went towards her, "come with me."

Sanim hesitantly grabbed her hand and followed her.

The sky flashed brightly as the rest of the crew members reached and found Klyne lying on the floor.

The crew looked at them; Yukima's eyes widened as they froze seeing Sanim, but then rolled back towards the black-haired man lying unconscious on the floor.

The ripples grew, inviting the shop into it, and then a large wave rose and swept them, and the rest.

Water filled the ship. 

Hose grabbed Veru's hand, while Hina was holding Sanim's, and grabbed whatever they could find for support.

Almost half of the ship was drowned in the water, and when the second wave, much larger than the previous rose, engulfed the entire ship.

Being near the sea, the four were excellent swimmers, and able to stay above the waters easily, but the others weren't.

"Veru…." Sanim shouted as the two girls paddled their limbs.

Veru looked at Hose, "we are coming. Stay right there." 

The duo swam towards them, and they all united. "This was a shitty idea!"

Veru screamed as seawater entered his mouth.

Veru looked at Hina, and swam towards Sanim. "Are you all right?"

Sanim nodded and grabbed his hand.

While things didn't look too bad for the four, it wasn't going so well for the rest.

Apart from Yukima, Thime, and the two crew, only a few managed to swim, while others flapped their hands. But eventually, they all drowned along with the four when the water rose and engulfed them into it.

Veru lost his grip and was split up with Sanim.

He found himself into the deep dark water; stroking his hands, he swam up, trying to get out of the water. 

The water faintly lit up by the thunders, as Veru reached up. 

Hina and Sanim were with Hose, while Veru was separated from the group.

When Hina found that Veru was separated from them, she tried calling him, but another wave swept them, engulfing them once again.

Very found the wave approaching towards him. He bit his lips, as the wave engulfed him. He closed his eyes in the impact.

He felt his body light.

Everything went silent, he could hear the calm and collected water.

'Haha, it all fucked up in the end.'

'At least, we tried, even if it was for a failure.'

"Gulp….."

Bubbles of air came out of his mouth as he opened his eyes.

All he could see was the eternal darkness of the deep water. Nothing was visible except for the darkness itself, with just a sliver of light coming from above towards which he swam.

'I hope they all are safe.'