October 11, in the year of 8845, Reminis Calendar (RC)
Daylight had come.
The sunrays, which were supposed to be warm and promising, pierced Elli's heart like hot scythes. The sword in her hand weighed heavier; it was this sword that she would use to kill... him.
The sun had begun to burn the seats on the speedboats when the group of ten approached the Blue Lagoon. Vortex sprang up, trying to shoo away the smoke spiralling out of his pants. The boat Maxim, Darrell, Freda and he rode in joggled riotously as he jumped like a circus clown. Freda became impatient and pushed him into the water. The bubbles pssst and steam fizzed out of Vortex’s suit. The group laughed, except Elli and Roxy. Vortex didn't notice that. He stood up, the water reaching his waist. Shore was only a hundred metres away and he veered their boats forward.
Black sand on the shore terrified Elli. There was no coconut trees, no sand crabs, no signs of life at all. The entire place looked like it had just been thunderstruck. The fingers of the Fire Demons were strangling the rocks nearby. They stepped on the sand watchfully. The sand tweaked beneath their boots, as if it was made of a solid substance. Grey haze floated along the shore, like poltergeists searching for human as their food. One of the poltergeists caught Elli’s heel and she fell.
She squatted to rub her painful shinbone and her fingers brushed against something cold. As if playing a prank on her, the fog dissipated and Elli saw what had caused her fall. It was a grinning skull. She cursed aloud as she saw skulls and bones littering every nook and cranny of the shore. There were bones of canines, skulls of birds, and an assortment of husks that she knew not the name of. It looked almost like a museum for skeletons.
“Welcome to the Blue Lagoon,” Maxim introduced like a tour guide. “Walk another fifty feet ahead and you'll reach the spectacular Man-Eater Swamp. Oh listen, I can hear the swamp calling for brunch. Quick, follow me.”
Elli gawked at him. The men slapped her shoulders jokingly and ran forward. She glanced up at the sky, as if waiting for some help from the celestials. Answering her call, a streak of lightning snaked out of the clouds and the sky turned black. The sun was somehow playing hide and seek with them. Elli yelped again, but this time not because of shock or fear.
The burning sensation on her chest returned, so painful that she squatted on the skull-filled floor. The men discussed about the new phenomenon they were bound to see and nobody noticed her wincing, except Roxy. She stretched out a hand to help Elli up but electricity current swirled on Elli's skin before she touched Elli. Horror spread across Roxy's face and she hurriedly trotted behind her comrades.
The voice of the caramel-haired man kept ringing in Elli's ears. It's time, Elli, it's time. Scared and angry, she swatted the voice away. Her pain subsided later and she dashed after her friends. She couldn't be lamenting over her own fantasy. When she had finally caught up with her friends, she felt like they had gone through an invisible portal to another dimension.
To her left, a pale mountain glared at her. To her right, was a void of whiteness. At least, that was what her eyes could see. In front of her, veiled by the grey clouds, was another mountain. Could that be the Mount of Bi-Zantine? She didn't manage to ask as Maxim halted them before a fortress of boulders. The rocks piled up as tall as a kid and ringed the mountains. Stuck on the sand was a sign board, showing, Death Admission. The mountains looked like a white bun, which the front part had been sliced.
A blue swamp surrounded the mountain. Black swirling smoke rose from the swamp, like tendrils snapping at anything that flew towards them. The wind blew a hurricane of yellow leaves to the centre of the swamp. The black smoke sensed the motion and hurled towards the leaves. Within seconds, the leaves were burned to ashes. The air smelt like rotten eggs. Accompanying the death of the leaves were a flock of flies the size of pebbles. Blue tongues shot out of the swamp and swallowed the flies. Uhh, that's creepy. Are there other creatures down there? Elli shuddered at the thoughts.
“I've heard of this place. This is the notorious Man-Eater Swamp, aka the Blue Lagoon. It's actually a guardian for the Mount of Diamond and the Mount of Bi-Zantine. I heard there's a kind of magical creature living underneath the swamp. They are the protectors of this swamp and would only kill if the swamp is invaded,” Marko explained. The mountain on their left blinked at them beguilingly, luring them to step forward. The brightness was blinding, as if someone had shot at them with mirrors.
“Mount of Diamond and Man-Eater Swamp are tests for human’s wisdom. For millenniums, merchants and wealth lovers stormed to the Blue Lagoon, wishing to exploit this Treasure of Nature.” Maxim pointed to the foot of the mountain. Charcoal black corpses floated on the swamp surface. Elli saw a bleached white palm grabbing on the mountain. The rest of its body parts were nowhere to be seen. The wind blustered again and they gagged.
“It’s no doubt the Gate of Hell is here. I mean, look at its state. Creepy and dying,” said Elli.
“I say, we better hurry. I don't want to stay here any longer." Lukas frowned.
"Well, it seems like there's only one way to get there — the Air Bridge.” Marko gestured forward.
Elli squinted. The black smog blocked the view. She closed her eyes and opened them again. Her vision sharpened to her surprise and she could now see brown dots in the air, forming a... bridge. Two thin ropes were hanging diagonally from each side of the bridge, and they spread until reaching the stone platform of the mountain. She estimated the distance. It must be at least twenty feet, from the land they were standing, to the Air Bridge. Beneath them was literally the Man-Eater Swamp.
“The wind is getting stronger. We need to get to the top before evening,” said Maxim.
“But how?” asked Elli. She wished she hadn't. The answer Maxim gave her made taking a bath in the swamp looked like a swim in a children pool.
“We fly there. It'll take longer time if we climb the ropes, and time is the essence we can’t afford to lose now. Black-Borns, do you know the magic of strengthening the bridge?
Marko, Lukas and Roxy nodded. Together, they cast runes that twirled like ropes, and the bridge seemed to look sturdier.
“Good. Uhm, one more question. Do you have a kind of magic that can make the giant weight lesser?” asked Maxim.
Marko’s forehead creased but he managed to think of one. A white feathery rune touched Benedict’s skin. Elli didn't see much difference in his physical, but as Benedict raised his foot and landed it again, the ground didn't shake much.
“So, now all is good. We’ll go there first.” Maxim told them his plan. Vortex nodded and without further delay, stomped his rake on the floor. Tendril shot out of it and twirled right to the bridge. It clasped on the bridge like an anchor and Maxim tugged it testingly. The clasp was stable. Giving a thumb-up sign, he reversed his feet on the stone platform, and flew towards the bridge.
Vortex, Maxim and Freda followed suit. They looked like moths flying to an insect sticker. The Back-Borns were the second group, followed by Rooney.
Marko then called out, “Elli, come.”
“Pray for me,” she said to Benedict.
“Go, girl. It's a fun game, if you don’t fall.” Benedict tried to encourage her, but he was doing it wrong. Instead of feeling energetic, her entire body trembled.
She cast him a farewell look and lobbed her tendril. It dropped straight to the swamp. The bubble enlarged and became violent. The entire swamp seemed to love its new dish. The tendril looked like a carrot that had been sliced malevolently when she heaved it up. Unease rode over her. The thinness of the remains wouldn't even carry a parcel, lest a person. The Black-Borns cast more strengthening spells and urged her forward. She tossed the tendril for the second time before swaying to the bridge. Closing her eyes, she yelled like Tarzanness as she flung herself forwards.
A sudden snapping sound came from above, and the tendril broke. She muttered under her breath, “Please make it quick.” Just when she was ready to admit her death, a strong hand grabbed her suit collar.
It was Marko’s. She let out a sigh. “Thanks.” She could say no more as she was still panting.
“Now, we are even,” he replied with a wink.
“Give way, my friend. Let the giant fly.” Benedict lunged at the bridge.
The entire bridge shivered tremendously under his weight. The feather-weight spell didn't work properly on him. Without warning, the ropes snapped apart. Before the sorcerers could mutter another incantation, they fell straight to the swamp. “Aaargh!” All lady and gentlemen yelled their way to eternal darkness. The moment their feet touched the swamp, bubbles engulfed them and pulled them downwards. Elli couldn't see anything. It was all blackness.
Out of nowhere, a groggy and toad-like voice called out.