The Death's Game

33. Game of Countdown

"We just need to keep going. Twenty minutes is a plenty of time," decided Percy, after calling for the Black Eld Ridge didn't work. Without waiting a moment longer, she shot upward, putting her efforts into a fast but moderate swim. Kyle easily caught up with her. Blake had more difficulty but remained within their sight.

"Twenty minutes might be enough for escaping this prison, but I don't think it's enough to resurface," Kyle shared his opinion.

"For now, it's the best to get away from the prisoners. There's nothing in a close distance from the prison. We might have a chance."

"And if not, Blake at least has something to self-defense. We have magical objects like vest and backpack, which won't be a lot of help."

Unless I find a knife in my backpack. If it finally decides that it is a situation where I critically need an item.

"Then I propose swimming faster," she replied, not eager to lose her strength on talking with Kyle.

They were in a hopeless situation, but they still got chances to make it out alive. Prisoners can't escape. Maybe they won't even try out of fear of the Black Eld Ridge.

The time seemed to be racing with them as they were covering more distances separating them from their coveted freedom. Percy was sure that no other team had as difficult a task as they did.

Although they tried to time it with all their might, it seemed clearer with each piece that Black Eld Ridge had taken them quite deep down into the prison. And although Percy was already able to see a light high above them that suggested they were not far from the exit of the black waterfall, the watch irresistibly indicated that they had less than a minute left. Knowing there was no chance they would make it in time, Percy grabbed Kyle and dragged him toward the falling water. Blake swam after them. The three of them took refuge behind the agitated stream of the waterfall, where only darkness awaited them, and soon the watch counted down to zero.

"Now what?" asked Kyle, who, probably just as Percy and Blake, was thinking that feeding time will be somehow announced. Like a siren or something, but down where they were, there was only silence, interrupted by the loud humming of a waterfall.

"Nothing happened," Blake whispered, even though no one could hear them behind the waterfall.

"There's only a small distance to cover." Percy tried to calculate how long would it take them to get to the exit of the prison.

And if anyone would be able to follow them.

"You think we can make it?" Kyle seemed to be doubting, not in their speed and strength, but whether something would start to follow.

"We don't really have another choice, don't we?" Percy tried to come up with a different solution, but there was none. "We can't stay here until the feeding time ends. Our watches indicates that soon we're going to lose air."

Blake took out his dagger, ready to fight. Suddenly, all other thought meant nothing. He felt he need to help himself and his friends to leave this place safely. "I should go first, since I'm the only one to have a weapon."

"On three?" Percy asked, making Blake smile again.

She felt stupid about it, but his smile made her feel more confident. Almost, as if it warmed her up from the inside.

"One." Blake went on with her idea.

"Two." Kyle just rolled his eyes and got ready to swim.

"Three!"

They shot out from behind the waterfall, swimming as fast as they could upward. As soon as they swung into sight, a murmur arose among the prisoners. Distorted, excited voices reached their ears, giving Percy goosebumps.