2 Chapter 2: The Abyss Crawler
Days passed after Ethan awoke from the deep ravine. Ethan upon waking up tried climbing up, but it was steep and wet, there was nothing to hold onto to pull himself up.
With Ethan's little strength, he didn't know what to do.
The hunger couldn't be filled.
There was nothing to eat.
He was surrounded by stones, with nothing in sight.
Ethan was thankful that there was water that magically filled itself up.
Although there were some droplets of water from time to time, Ethan could calculate accordingly.
Each droplet only drops every three seconds, not enough to fill a 40-centimeter deep and 50-centimeter wide rock basin within six hours.
It was magical. Ethan was thankful for that.
Without it, Ethan didn't know where to find another source of water for there was none.
Ethan was trapped on all sides.
What he thought was a ravine was not. He was trapped at all sides.
And he did not know just how deep he was, how far he needed to climb to get out of the hell hole.
Ethan was thankful enough that there were stones, shining all the time, varying in colors, lighting up his nights, dark cold nights.
The red ones give the best warmth from the cold place.
But water was not enough to survive, he needed food.
He needed it much.
Without it, he would die before long.
Though Ethan did not feel weak for some reason after drinking the colorful water that magically filled itself up, but felt stronger and stronger, as he drank the water, but it was not enough, not enough to clench his hunger. To fill his rumbling stomach.
The hunger pang hit him hard.
Left with no choice, Ethan took hold of a fist-sized red rock, it felt warm to the touch. As Ethan stared at it, he gritted his teeth and then bit into it.
Not knowing why, Ethan's teeth sank into it, like he was biting on well-cooked meat, much to his surprise.
With his surprise forgotten and his hunger taking over, Ethan devoured the stone.
Not enough.
Ethan went mad, he was hungry and went on eating every stone he could see.
Ethan's feast lasted for a full half minute till he felt satisfied, letting out a burp as he patted his now-filled stomach.
After his mind cleared, Ethan was at a loss.
He wondered how he could eat those stones when they should have been much harder than those rocks, the ones that do not shine.
But due to his first feast, Ethan fell asleep not long after.
But what Ethan did not know was as he slept, gas-like substances in varying colors started entering his body, fixing his body up.
When Ethan woke up, he felt energetic. He felt stronger.
He wondered, was it due to eating those stones?
Ethan felt no pain, no fatigue, just pure strength and energy.
So after drinking his fill from the magical basin, Ethan once again started his quest; climbing the slippery rock and getting out of the hell hole he was trapped!
- - -
Days passed by.
Weeks flew by.
Weeks turned into months.
Months to a year.
Ethan stood straight, like a pole, his head up, looking at the just-come sunlight.
Clenching his fist, "Today, I must get out of this hell hole!" He swore.
Ethan must, he must leave this place today, or he never will.
The shining stones were all eaten, the basin dried up, and not a drop fell anymore. The basin dried up three days ago for no apparent reason at all.
So if Ethan cannot get out today, he never will.
Ethan's body was that of a seven-year-old, maybe six or eight, he did not know, nor did he care. What he cared about was getting out of the hell hole today.
His body is full of strength, strength that should not be possible for any normal kid like him, or maybe a normal adult burst forth with a leap, breaking the highest stone he could stand and leap on into pieces.
His fingers into claws, ready to dig deep into the slippery walls that are preventing his freedom.
Crack*
The stone cracked, and some pieces fell, but with Ethan's fingers deep within, he did not fall.
With a pull, Ethan clawed his other arm deep, checking that it was not giving up and making him fall, he undug his other hand and then once again clawed, higher.
He clawed, higher, higher, and higher.
Even when his fingers burst, Ethan did not stop.
He gritted his teeth, and he persevered.
No matter how painful it was, or how tired he was, he did not stop.
It's either continue or die.
And Ethan wants to live!
He will not give up.
He must live, he goes. He must move forward, for his goals!
This little pain will not stop him. His will firm.
As Ethan continued climbing, so did the sun.
Even when the sun started hiding, Ethan did not stop.
No matter how tired he was, and how painful his fingers hurt, he never gave up and continued.
Soon, the sky turned dark, but Ethan still climbed, never stopping.
Blood flowed from his mouth, his eyes, his ears, and nose, but he never stopped.
Even if he slowed down, he continued.
His body screamed for him to stop, but he never listened and climbed.
He climbed and climbed, and climbed.
Dawn broke. Ethan was still climbing, hanging on with all his might.
His strength diminished.
But his will was firm.
His hands trembled and hurt with every move, but he climbed.
His head down, he cannot look up anymore.
Putting everything in his hands, his fingers, to the soles of his feet, just to hang on and finally free himself from the hell hole or die.
Reaching up with difficulty, and clawing his fingers deep with all his might, he continued.
His muscles torn, his nails nowhere, he continued.
I will not give up!
I have been given the chance!
I will not waste it!
I promised him!
I will not betray that old man!
If I die here, how can I ever repay him without being able to do anything!!!
Pulling himself up with all his might, his will, he once again brought his other arm up, although hard, he did not give up.
CRACK*
Forcefully looking up, Ethan could see the light slowly but surely getting out of his reach.
I'm falling?
Is this how far I can go?
Why?
I.I, I'm sorry, old man. I, I failed you.
Ethan with his last strength tried grabbing the light as his vision darkened.
Swish*
Grab*
Ethan's body stopped falling, his hand pinched in between black scaly massive claws.
Sniff*
Sniff*
"A human child?" A hoarse voice was heard, shaking the surroundings.
The creature stared at Ethan's bloody figure and then looked down the deep unseen depth dark hole.
"A child climbing the abyss?" The creature laid Ethan's body down, staring at him incredulously.
It was awed at the child's, much less a human's feat, climbing out of that hell.
The creature guarded the place for years unknown and this was the first time seeing someone, much less a child climbing out of that hell.
Never had he seen something like this.
It was also wondering itself, if it were to be the one down there, could he climb up?
No!
"Impossible!" The creature's eyes widened.
Staring at the child's body. No, more precisely, the energy inside him.
"I should kill him!" The creature said.
Staring at the human child, the creature shook his head. "There's no malice in him."
The creature felt conflicted.
Should he kill the child?
But he felt no malice, he was pure.
Someone pure came out of the Abyss?
Impossible!
The creature did not know.
Should it kill the child or let it live?
"I'll kill it." The creature decided.
Opening his mouth, dark flames churned, it was hot, turning everything near to nothing.
"***** Roar!" The creature let out a stream of black-like flame that came out of its mouth, directly toward the human child, wanting to incinerate it to nothingness.
As the incriminating flame came close to the child, it evaporated.
"What!?" The creature was shocked.
"I don't believe this!" The creature leaped higher with a more concentrated and more powerful attack and unleashed it.
But the same thing happens. Its attack dissipated to nothingness before it could reach the human child.
Left with no choice, the creature concentrated its energy into its claws, diving at a high speed, with the intent to kill.
"Die!" The creature roared.
As the claws neared the unconscious child, the world turned gray.
Time stopped.
The attacking creature was stopped in place.
'Wha, what's happening?' The creature could only think, he couldn't move.
A light came and went, and the creature saw someone standing in front of the human child, looking at it with sadness and sorrow in its eyes.
'W-who are you?' The creature couldn't speak, but he knew that the figure should be able to hear him with its thoughts.
With his long life, the creature only knew of two people who could do something like this, but the figure in front of it felt much stronger, far stronger than any of its imagination could think. Those he knew were far below the figure next to the child.
The figure sat down in front of the child, and then figure tapped the human child with his index finger.
"You did not fail me. I hope to see more of you." The figure spoke, smiling.
He then looked at the creature.
"Who I am is not important.
This child, I named him.
He is Ethan."
The creature could not believe what it was hearing.
'Then why? Why must you throw him to the abyss!' The creature asked through thought.
As the guardian of the abyss, his sole duty is to watch over it and kill whatever comes out of it.
And at its long years of guarding, there had never been one that came out of it which is without malice and that is why he was conflicted about whether to kill the child or not, but then choose to just kill it, like any others.
But then, hearing that the figure that he named the child himself, the creature did not know what to do anymore or what to say.
"He is a good person. But like all others, he must pass a test.
And he passed it splendidly.
He never gave up his will.
Nor did he wish for anything.
He will do good."
'Is he not a threat?' The creature asked.
The figure shook his head.
"Tell me, what do you define as a threat?"
The figure asked.
Hearing the figure's question, the creature did not know what to say.
The figure shook his head again, "You are the guardian of this world, but you have lost your reason, thinking that evil is evil, good is good."
'I've lost sight.' The creature acknowledged its mistake.
"The abyss of this world will soon close. That is why I sent him here. From the Abyss to land. Your duty will soon be done, but so would turmoil start." The figure said.
'So my death nears.' The creature sighed.
The figure shook his head, "No, there is a way."
'But this is the law.' The creature said.
"Law. Laws are made by the powerful, and the powerful can break damn laws and create their own!" The figure grinned.
'You! You are-!' The creature was shocked, learning the identity of the figure in front of him.
"Shh. Will you look after him?" The figure asked.
'You should know what will happen to me.' The creature asked.
"I know." The figure acknowledged.
The figure bowed, even though he was far more powerful and could do many things, not everything would go as they wanted, not even their lives. "Please."
'I'll do what I can. How long do you have?' The creature asked.
The figure just smiled. "Thank you." then disappeared.
Time continued.
The creature that was on the full brunt of killing the child stopped.
Looking up, a line passed by the far dark space.
With a beat of its wings, it landed near the human child.
"Brat! I don't know what they saw in you. But I'll do my best, I hope you can bring as wished."
And so, the creature, the Guardian of the Abyss of unknown prowess stood guard at the unconscious human child.
A child that crawled his way out of the abyss.
A feat he does not know of.
- - -
What do you guys think?
Some comments?
