Just a bit of exploring

Chapter 66

Sunday, May 11, 2014

6:57 am

I groan as I stumble in the direction of Coach's cabin. I stop and look back toward the camp. I smile as I see the camp being to fill with ant-sized people. My smile faded as my muscles ached with a heavy, sleepy feeling. I look back and start to make my way towards Coach's cabin. I whined as the bruise around my eye constantly reminded me of the boot that I took to my face. I let out a slight yelp as my foot slipped onto its side. I wince as all my weight was put onto the side of my foot. I sucked in air through my teeth as I bent down and planted my butt on the ground. My foot felt heavy, it felt like hell to move it just a bit. I take a deep breath of air and force myself back up to my feet. I drag my injured foot across the ground, the pain in my foot felt like it was constantly pushing on the sides of my feet. A smile quickly formed the second I saw Coach's cabin in the distance.

I stop and take a few rapid breaths. I take out a small health potion and quickly put it back into my Inventory. My health is already full, but the injuries from the fight aren't healed yet. I lift a hand up to my eye and lightly touch the bruise circling my eye. A sharp sting went through my skill the second my finger touched it. The small injuries are healed but the ones I actually have to worry about aren't healed. I touched the other side of my face and felt a flaky, plastic feeling on the side of my face. I picked at my skin until I felt something hang off the side of my face. I grab whatever was hanging off my face and saw tiny pieces of white plastic in-between my fingers. Is this my skin? I stared at what I assumed was my skin and threw it onto the ground.

I forced myself to walk through the pain and towards Coach's cabin. I took a deep breath as I approached the front door of the cabin. Before I could get a chance to knock the door swung wide open to reveal a tall muscular man in what looked like his late twenties. The man had bright blue eyes with an intelligent focused look. He had his hair swept to the side. I notice a tiny circle-shaped scar in the middle of his neck. I back up as he looked down at me. My body froze up as his eyes focused on me. His eyes flickered up and down my body. His eyes were mostly focused on the wounds littering my body. He lifted his hand and held it up to his chest. My eyes widen as a ball of water formed out of nowhere right above his hand. I flinch as the ball levitated in my direction. My heart raced as the ball touched my chest. I felt the heavy, fat feeling around my eye as my body felt a soothing, calm feeling flow through my body. I stared down at my chest in confusion, I lift up my foot and twist it around. To my surprise, all that pain that made it hard to walk disappeared. I look up towards the man, he nodded and walked off without saying anything. I look over my shoulder and stare at the man as he walked away.

I look back towards the cabin and knock on the door. I look over my shoulder and stare at the man. Who is he? He has to be one of the oldest people here at camp, everyone I met has been around my age or their barely reaching the age of seventeen. But he's an adult, why don't I see adults more often at camp? Are they out somewhere, or do they not exist? I was snapped out of my thoughts the second I hear the sound of a door opening. I look towards the door to see Coach towering over me. I took a step backward as he took a step forward. Coach pointed towards the cuts and tears in my shirt.

"What happened to you?"

"I got into a fight." Coach gave a curt nod.

"So what did you want to talk about?" he asked with a hostile tone.

"I wanted to talk about the camp's walls," I said while pointing behind me and toward the stone walls. Coach took a step back and stepped to the side

"Just come inside." I nod as I walk inside. Coach walked over to his desk, I walked toward Coach's desk and sat down on a wooden chair that was right in front of his desk. Coach leaned back in his chair and cross his legs. I stared at the down ground as Coach began to question me. "What happened when you climbed those walls.

"I found out the sky was fake." Coach nodded without a word. "Once I reached the top of the wall, there was this cave that had this...person? It could've been a yokai but I'm too sure."

"We're just going to assume this thing was a yokai." Coach paused and waited for my response. I quickly responded back with a nod. "What did this yokai do?"

"It attacked me and the person I was with. It al-" Coach quickly held up his hand. I quickly stopped talking as I waited for Coach to say something.

"Who were you with?"

"Michael."

"Michael, who?"

"I only know that his name is Michael." Coach stared directly into my eyes as he asked his next question.

"Why were you and Michael climbing the walls?"

"I wanted to find anything around the camp that could help us produce electricity."

"You mean like solar energy and hydropower?" I quickly nodded. Coach thought for just a second before responding. "Okay... if you're going to explore outside then bring two people with you. Also, bring your weapons in case that yokai appears again."

"How did you know that the yokai is still alive?" I asked. I was going to tell him that the yokai was still out there, but I didn't get to tell him. It feels like he knows something but I'm not sure if he even knows something. The way he's asking these questions does feel off, it feels like he's trying to get me out of his cabin. He would usually ask more questions but for some reason, he isn't. Maybe he's been busy? Or maybe he does know about that yokai.

"I felt like something was off about this morning. I just didn't know it was a yokai." I stared at me and nodded. I can't even tell if he's telling the truth or if he's just lying. I get up from off my chair and stared Coach directly in the eyes.

"I just have to take two people with me to explore outside the camp right?"

"Take Michael and one other person." I nod and turn around to walk out the door. "Wait hold on." I turn back around back and stare at Coach.

"Yes?" He held up his hand that I understood to just wait. "Rome!" Coach yelled with a thunderous booming voice. I heard the door swing open behind me, I look over my shoulder to see the person who I just passed outside the cabin standing in the middle of the doorway. Didn't I see him walk off? Why he is back?

"What?" The guy who I assumed was Rome said with a hint of tiredness in his voice. Rome yawned as Coach responded.

"Can you go with Ivan, help him if anything happens." Rome nodded and stepped into the building. He closed the door and walked towards Coach's desk. Rome nodded. I turn around to walk towards the door, I quickly turn around and take out my shattered spear. Pieces of the steel crumbled to the floor as I showed Coach the spear.

"During the fight, my spear broke. Can you give me another one?" Coach shook his head.

"I don't have enough weapons to give out, you'll just have to go without one." I roll my eyes and turn around. I walk towards the door and walk out. I look down at my spear and throw it to the side. Rome stared down at me with a bored look in his eyes.

"What can you do?" Rome asked. I look up at him.

"What do you mean."

"What kind of magic can you use."

"Ice and wind, but mostly wind." Rome stared at me for a few seconds before nodding.

"You can make your own weapons with ice."

"Wouldn't ice break though?"

"But at least you'll be able to make it again." I nod as a box suddenly appeared right in front of me.

New quest!

Make your own weapon with ice!

Rewards:

150 xp

$15

5 points

New weapon!

Failure:

You'll have to fight without a weapon for awhile

Accept?

Yes

No

I click yes and as I made an ice cube in my hand. This quest kind of sounds fun.

7:05 am

Michael's POV

I sat down against the tree as Weiss sat down on the grass next to me. She had dark purple circles under her eyes. She looked over at me and stared at my ripped clothes. She leaned back to get a better look at the huge hole in the back of my shirt. The wind felt refreshing against my burnt skin. Weiss had an annoyed look on her face. She rubbed her eyes for a few seconds before staring back at me.

"What happened?" Weiss asked. Weiss glared at me, she obviously wanted to go back to her cabin. I frown and press my back up against the tree.

"I got into a fight." Weiss slowly nodded as her eyes drooped. She quickly opened back her eyes and forced herself to stay awake.

"That's cool," Weiss said in a monotone tone. "So what's wrong?" She said kind of annoyed. I take a deep breath as flashes of this morning rushed through my mind. The constant throbbing pain was a reminder of the boiling water that scorched my back.

"I think...I was close to dying."

"Didn't you fight someone when you visited your mom too?"

"No, but I had a chance to escape that." My hands trembled as I remembered the white figure standing in front of me. "This person really, really wanted to kill me. If I was by myself I would've died." I clenched my fists as I let out a shaky breath. I smile as I felt the grass underneath my legs. "It just didn't feel, feel real afterward." Weiss yawned before responding.

"Who was with you?"

"Ivan," I said nervously.

"Shouldn't you be talking about this with him instead of him?"

"I just don't feel like talking to him right now."

"Why not?"

"Ivan would've killed someone, but they got away."

"I don't see what's wrong, I'm guessing it was in self-defense. He was just defending himself."

"Yeah but, there was no hesitation from him. I would've thought he would've at least hesitated. He didn't even care!" Weiss sighed before rubbing her eyes.

"He probably deals with stuff like that differently then."

"Maybe." My body jumped at the sound of grass crunching right behind me. Weiss looked over her shoulder while I leaned to peek behind the tree I was leaning against. I felt the energy leave my body as I saw Ivan calmly walking in my direction. It took a second for him to spot me. He waved at me and quickened his pace to a speed walk. He turned around and stared at Weiss.

"Hi Weiss," he quickly said before looking down towards me. "I talked to Coach, and he wants us to explore the outside the camp."

"Right now?" Ivan nodded. I groan as I stood up. "There's another person coming with us though."

"Oh cool, what's his name?"

" Rome." Weiss stood up and stretched.

"I'm just gonna go back to my cabin." She said with an excited high-pitched voice. I look back at her and nod. She quickly sprinted off through the trees. I look back towards Ivan. His eyes were back to their usual sharp look instead of the cold stare that I saw earlier today. Ivan glanced at Weiss for a second as she walked off. He glanced back at me. I slowly stand up and stretch.

"Go get your weapon, I'll wait for you by where we climbed." I nod as Ivan waved and walked off. I stomp my foot on the grass and rub my eyes. I lean against the tree and groan. I push myself off the tree and make my way towards my cabin.

"I wonder what's outside the camp."

7:18 am

I stare down at the camp with wide eyes. The tiny, destroyed wooden buildings looked like toys from where I was standing. I force myself to look away and look around the cave. I felt an invisible force tighten my body as I stared at the low-hanging ceiling. I felt like if I barely jumped I could reach the roof. My body shivered as I looked down at stare at the walls surrounding the camp. I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turn around to see Ivan right behind me.

"Let's go," Ivan commanded.

"Uh, yeah." Ivan didn't bother to wait for my response. I quickly follow after him. The invisible tight feeling wrapped around my body as Ivan lead me through the tight and narrow tunnel that I and Ivan fought in. I stretch out my arms to the side, the feeling went away the second I realize that there was a good distance between the tips of my fingers and the cold stone walls.

I notice a tiny stream of light near the end of the tunnel, my eyes instinctively shut themselves as a bright blinding light filled my vision. I slowly open my eyes to reveal a screen of blackness surrounding my vision. I hold up my hands up to my face. I could only make out the faint outlines of my hands against the tiny stream of light near the end tunnel.

"Was it always this dark?" I asked Ivan.

"What do you mean? Nothing's changed for me."

"Really?" Ivan turned around and squinted his eyes at me. He took one hard look at me before turning back around.

"You're eyes are glowing." I reach my hand up to my right and trace my finger around the edges of my eye.

"Thanks?"

"Wait, were you able to see clearly?"

"Yeah," I respond unsurely.

"Maybe you can see in the dark."

"I didn't think of that." Me and Ivan approached the beam of light coming from the ceiling. "If I can see in the dark, then why can't I see in the dark now?" I stared up at the ceiling, there was a tiny hole that barely had enough space for a person to fit through. A strong gust of wind came from the hole and wrapped around Ivan. Ivan quickly flew up to the ceiling and through the hole. He kicked his legs trying to get through the hole, eventually, I saw him skitter up the hole. I reached up towards the ceiling, there was only a foot between my fingers and the hole. I swear the ceiling was closer before. I bend my knees and channel my magic into my legs. I leap off the ground and fly towards the hole. I grab onto a rock with one hand. I groan as my free hand couldn't find anything to grab onto. My free hand reached towards the bright white light. I could make out a blue sky with puffy clouds gliding through it. Ivan suddenly stepped in front of the hold and grabbed onto my free arm. His arms glowed a bright red as he dragged my body through the hole. Ivan stopped pulling the second I was out of the hole. Ivan took loud gasps of air as I got back up.

Sweat formed on my forehead as I looked at our surroundings. All I could see was a wide, vast open space with red dirt. There were tiny bushes that didn't have any leaves or fruit, the bush only had wood. I wipe the sweat off my forehead and look towards Ivan. Ivan had a phone in his hands, he pointed the phone's camera at the space in front of us and took a picture. He turned to his left and took another picture.

"What are you taking those pictures for?" I asked as Ivan turned towards me and waved his hand in a way that meant "get out of the way". I stepped to the side as Ivan took another picture. The phone in his hands suddenly disappeared.

"It's for my brothers."

"What do they need it for?"

"To see what we're working with." Ivan looked around and took out my weapon. He stretched out his arm as I took it. I rested my weapon over my shoulder as Ivan sighed. "We're not working with much either. I think solar panels will do but I'm worried about people seeing what we're doing." My eyes widen as a long, wide shadow appeared right next to our own shadows. I clutch my weapon and turn around. Behind us was a tall muscular man with blue ocean-like eyes. his hair was messily swept to the side. My eyes lingered down to his waist. He had a long sword that was slightly curved near the middle. The sword's hilt had a bright blue sea-like pattern etched into the hilt. The sheathe was bright blue with paintings of raindrops scattered across the sheathing.

"We won't have to worry about that, there's a reason why no one has found the camp yet." The man said. Ivan looked up at him for a second before looking back at the empty desert.

"Let's go back. There isn't much to see." Ivan said.

"We just got here!" I responded.

"What are we supposed to do? There's literally nothing."

"I don't know, we just got here. It would feel wrong to just leave so quickly." Ivan looked at me with a glare in his eyes.

"I'm going back." He said with a commanding tone. He turned around and walked back from where we came from. I turn and see a tall, leafless tree with a hole at the base of the tree. Long strips of bark had come off the tree, in the barks place were long strips of holes that left enough space to see the inside of the tree. At the base of the tree were tiny patches of orange, rotting wood. How old is this tree? I frown at the thought and walk toward the tree.

"I thought there would be more stuff to do."

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