Chapter 26: Crimson Water

* I remember not so long ago, I was still living quietly and peacefully with my friends. The society in which I live did not give much importance to the role of the woman, as far as I know I had two arms and two legs like everyone else, what prevented me from going hunting ? Nothing, being born the daughter of a chief did not favor me more. While trying to imagine my future I saw myself already married to the son of a friend or to a "powerful warrior" to perpetuate the descendants. But I didn't want any of that. That's what led me to date this boy who everyone called a demon. Nahel, he was a wonderful being, a little confusing at times, but he was the coolest guy in the whole valley. He didn't let anyone step on him, and he didn't let anyone dominate him. With Lars, who came from a people with a different religion, we formed a beautiful trio of morons. But that was until two years ago. Today here I am stuck in the depths of a cave sitting against the rock next to a water that I can certainly not drink. My rations are dry and the scratch on my right arm throws me even though I stopped the bleeding with a bandage *.

-Sad place to die. * I tell myself *.

* I heard the dull growls of these strange critters, they had finally found me. I checked my gun, I still had 3 bullets *.

-Haha, the last will be for me then. * I say laughing *.

-JESSIIIIIE.

*What is that ? A cry? ... I hear gunshots, shrill cries and then nothing. Instead these dirty beasts that just appeared right in front of me roaring. At that moment a tear of regret beaded my face. I just wanted to help my tribe out of this hell, but I was going to die there *.

* POV Keith *

* It's been a while since we got into the cave and I'm already in a cold sweat. On the way we passed the torn bodies of some of Jessie's team members. Every time we saw one deep inside me I hoped it wasn't her that I found. I'm not gonna lie at this point I didn't give a damn about the state of the others, I just wanted to bring Jess back and get out of the way. And seeing Lars' gaze, how he was even more careful than usual I understood that we shared the same feeling. Although having no light the cave was lit by the walls of a strange blue. I tried to damage it with my combat knife but it was very solid, it looked like a rough diamond. I even fired a shot but the shot ricocheted and nearly wounded someone *.

- Damn are fucking sick ? * Lars yelled at me *. We're not here to do the scavenging. Control your shit urges.

* He's right I have to calm down. But in reality he would be just as excited as I was to know the usefulness that such a mineral could have in our society. Athena had told me about it, the cave is an incredible source of Deite, the rock of the gods. Making weapons with this thing would be * ....

-Calm yourself Nahel, you're not here for that. * I tell myself, slamming my cheeks *.

-That's wonderful. * Said Arianne who did not hide her fascination *. All this ore, Mell would be ecstatic if she saw them.

-Mell ...? Your little sister ?

-You could say that. *She said smiling*.

* We continued to move forward following the meager memories in Brenda's mind and we ended up where the landslide took place *.

-Do you think she's on the other side? * Arianne asked *.

-Don't be stupid. * Said Lars *. Jessie isn't the type to sit and feel sorry for yourself by staying in one place.

* He approached the wall which he stroked with his palm before clenching his teeth *.

- At least not before trying to run away a dozen times.

-If she's still in the cave, we'll find her. * Tell Lars *. You hear me ... We will find her my brother.

-Of course we will find her. * He said, pulling away from me *.

* He took a few steps backwards but suddenly he felt his neck brush something resembling a mandible. Immediately he jumped towards us and pointed all our guns at the creature *.

-But what the fuck is that? * Lars asked confused *. This stuff is completely frozen.

-It's exactly the same as when we came. * Explained Brenda *. They were all frozen in the face we believed hard as iron that they were dead.

-Then suddenly they started to move. * I say calmly *. It is...

-It's cryostasis. A complex cryonics process that keeps the specimen alive by storing it in ice.

* Everyone except me looked at her totally overwhelmed *.

-You lost me. * Said Lars who was struggling to understand *.

* Arianne realized that our intellectual levels were not the same *.

- Basically it's like keeping fish fresh to prevent them from dying.

-I think I understand the principle. * Said Brenda *. Except that they are alive below, our fish die.

-Their organism surely has a hibernation mechanism. * Said Lars passing his hand over the ice *. Look at his eyes he seems to be sleeping there ...

* Arianne couldn't believe how quickly they understood all of this and I admit it made me smile. Suddenly a cry resounded in the cave. We then saw a guard rushing on us galloping on all fours. I raised my rifle by reflex *.

-No. * Lars shouted *. Explode his arms to immobilize him.

-Okay...

* We opened fire with Brenda and he collapsed to the ground. His body slid across the ice towards us in a long trail of blood *.

-Satisfied?

-Perfect job as always.

* He approached the beast with his usual curious gaze while the critters with injured legs moaned on the ground *.

-I see. Arianne does the thing.

-Hey ....

-The thing .... Your machete gives there.

-Ah yes my ...

* She gave without quite understanding what he wanted and stared at me. I sighed and looked away with an amused smile. Lars pulled out his gun and fired a shot at the beast's stomach. He tore off her limbs with a machete and punctured her abdomen. The critter screamed, struggling as best it could. It was a horrible sight in every way. But Lars Hudson is a scientist, a curious man and a researcher fighting it all. The sight of bloody guts was nothing compared to his thirst for knowledge. He ends up shooting the beast and then in the eye before it gives a final blow and dies *.

-You can tell me what it was for this show? * I asked *.

-They feel the pain. A revolver bullet can pierce them at close range, but certainly not kill them. Karabine bullets can pierce their skin and kill them. They are sensitive to the abdomen and to the eye.

* He lifted his machete and cut off his head with a sharp blow *.

-And a well-placed machete kills them. * He said giving the machete back to Arianne *. Thank you assistant.

-Assistant?

-On this ... On the way.

* We got back on the road by taking another path, this time Lars was in the lead followed by Brenda. Arianne and I brought up the rear. By the way, speaking of Arianne, I approached her to discuss certain things *.

-That thing, the Cryostasis? Where did you hear about it?

-Bah at the university ...

-What teacher taught you? * I chain quickly *.

-Hey gently. Professor Dominique Wagner.

-You lie very well i swear.

-About what ? Why would I lie ?

-For lots of reasons, but what you called Cryostasis, Cryogenization, is a theoretical process that does not exist yet.

* I turned to her and slammed her against the wall and put my hand above her head *.

-You are hiding things from me, Arianne. You know everything about me, but I don't know anything about you. And yet I would like us to become friends.

-Friends hide things you know. * She told me *.

-Let's be the kind of friends who tell each other everything. * I replied *.

-Hey lovebirds, bring your asses here or I'll leave you behind. * Lars shouted *.

-We'll talk about that later.

* I was about to leave but she grabbed me by the arm *.

-You are also hiding things, Nahel does not forget that.

* Then she continued on her way. I had doubts for a while but I suspect her more and more of being ... My target. The reason I was sent to this world. For a brief moment I raised my gun and pointed it behind her back. If I am right my mission is over, I put an end to all this now and I go to live far away with my family. But if I'm wrong I'll have shot a precious friend. I lowered my gun with a sigh *.

-It is too early to be sure.

* Our exploration of the cave leads us to a huge cavity. A sort of treasure chamber where there were a lot of gold coins and maccabés. Strangely, no one here went into ecstasies in front of all this wealth, we didn't give a fuck *.

- This is where it all started. * Said Brenda *. These monsters were frozen ... In cryostasis, and ...

-Remember, what had Jessie done before? * Lars asked *.

-I....

-BRENDA ....

-I ... I don't remember. She just took a ring off that maccabé's finger.

* Arianne and I jump directly onto the body of the maccabé in question *.

-Nibelungen.

* At that moment we gave each other a suspicious look. But to hell with the doubts and conspiracies, I don't know why neither of us was really trying to hide something from the other. We searched the rooms and quickly found what we were looking for *.

-The ring ... The cursed treasure of the Nibelungen. *I said*.

* Arianne and I looked at each other smiling then we burst into tears before hugging each other *.

- Damn it exists, it exists ...

-I can't believe it, we found Fafnir cave. *She says*.

* Lars and Brenda looked at us without really understanding our enthusiasm *.

-But damn you have to get treatment, guys.

* We stopped for two minutes and got back to being serious *.

-On the other hand this thing is cursed. * Said Arianne *.

- Yeah you're right. * I say, swinging the ring in the pile of coins *. We won't take a single piece of it.

-We will come back and take the rest when we have Jessie and we are locked out.

-Lars you didn't understand. * Said Arianne giving him a cold look *. No one will touch a single piece of this cursed gold.

-Hey hey ... what's that tone you're taking against me here?

-Calm down. * I say, interposing *. It was removing this ring that awakened these monsters. If we touch another object we will surely decryogenize the other remaining ones.

* I walked to the remains of a man who was dressed as a Knight Crusader. He held a sword that was a little too shiny in his hand. I felt like he had been buried there for centuries. I withdrew the weapon and its corpse gone to dust which shocked me. My gaze remained focused on the sword though *.

-It's the first time that I've seen one, not that I'm holding one.

* I whirled it around and put it on the ground. There I saw that she passed the rock of the gods like butter *.

-Eh ....

* Suddenly another cry resounded in the cave, no it was not one but several cries. The guards were rushing towards a place, we could hear them swarming. I grabbed the sword for some reason that still eludes me, then I started to run *.

-Seb where are you going? * Lars shouted *.

- Go back to the cart and tell Aaron to get ready to blow everything up. * I screamed *.

-To do What?

-About what ? * Brenda wondered *.

-I'm going to bring Jessie back so hurry up.

* I ran activating my gift, Lars tried to catch up with me but I was far away. For a while in this cave I felt that I was different, that something was different. The gifts given by Athena were more ... Powerful. Every step I took was incredibly fast *.

-GodSpeed.

* I practically saw through walls with my 6th sense. I felt the cave swarming with guards and all headed for a single point *.

-The blood of the dragon.

* I observed a little more with my gift and I live it. She was there, well and truly there *.

-JESSSSSSIIIE.

* Damn she can't hear me. And the lake of blood is right under my feet. What can I do? I stared at the sword, it had a sick edge that's undeniable. I kicked the ground and the crystal cracked under my feet. I landed another blow and then another with all my strength. As I fell the guard had risen to his feet and was about to stab Jessie with his claws. The scene took place in slow motion and woe to him. I chopped off his hand first, then thrust the sword into his hips before I stuck a bullet in his jaw. I whirled my rifle around with my fingertips as I pulled the lever to reload, then finished it off with a final bullet to the head. I then withdrew the sword and he cut himself in two, squirting his blood on the rock *.

-No matter how old he is, a boy will never miss the opportunity to play with a sword.

* I turned first to Jessie who had her gun pointed at her temple. She had tears in her eyes when she saw me and I almost cried too, but I remained firm. She dropped the weapon and burst into tears *.

-Nahel is it you? You're not another hallucination are you?

* I approached her and hugged her. Hell she was ice cold, but okay as long as she could feel the heat in my body. I would have liked this moment to be eternal. I withdrew and gave her my jacket and a PA. I stayed in a tank top in this freezing weather *.

-Stay behind me, I won't be too long.

* I could hear the cave which continued to crawl but never mind I felt all powerful *.

- Bring you all back at the same time.

* The first animals approached and I stuck bullets in their heads to kill them. The one who approached too close was being sawed in half by my sword. I loved this style of fighting, I felt like Hijikata Toshizo in Hakodate. Mix between sword and rifle. But I quickly ran out of cartridges. A claw was going to hit me but I made an inhuman leap followed by a roll in the air and landed by slicing it in half. It goes without saying that I was no longer normal. As if lightning flashed from all around me. This cave gave a feeling of phew to my body, I rushed on the beasts and dismembered them one by one like a hero of legend under the gaze more than astonished by Jessie who could not close her mouth anymore. The perfect soldier, this is what I had become, this is what Athena wanted to do with me. But I quickly got bored of it all and planted the sword in the ground. I used to kill a lot of monsters but at this rate I'm going to get exhausted *.

-If only you could be an M-16.

* As I reloaded my rifle I heard lightning flash behind. When I turned around I was shocked at what I saw *.

-no are you kidding me? * I say smiling *.

* The sword had become a ... M16. I threw my Rifle at Jessie and grabbed my new escalibur *.

-Hahahahaha

* I must have gone crazy because I emptied my cartridges on the monsters without even bothering to aim ... The bullets were not ordinary either because I do not remember that the bullets of this rifle made explode the skulls or the bodies. I shot until I ran out of cartridges *.

-M203 grenade launcher.

* The grenade launcher appeared under the rifle and I detonated the guards with it. Then the weapon became an M-60 and I scooped up the rest of those filthy beasts with a sulphate blast. I had become invincible that's what I told myself, the euphoria of the battle had driven me crazy. When I ran out of bullets I changed my weapon into a flamethrower and set the monsters on fire. From there they got scared and even started to fear me, I could feel it in their eyes. They weren't attacking anymore they were screaming just as if to tell me to leave *.

-Hahahahaha come and get some.

* After that I headed for what was still the most fascinating spectacle of my life. A gigantic lake of pink or purple water. I walked in his direction and crouched down. The flamethrower had reverted to being an M-16 in the meantime. I could see myself through it. My hand brushed the surface and suddenly flashes came to mind. I started to scream to scream even as if I was suffering such pain *.

-Keeeeith.

- Don't come near. * I was shouting *. Do not come near me especially, you hear me?

* She ignored it and came to hug me anyway *.

-Keith calm down you have to get yourself back, I beg you.

*She's right. How could I be so naive? I let myself be carried away by the benefits of the magic that this weapon gave me. I was just so happy to have my favorite rifles in hand. But for some reason that escapes me I didn't want to part with it. Too bad this weapon will get me out of here *.

-You feel better now ?

-It's okay, I got my senses back.

* It was then that two motorcycles disembarked through one of the cavities with Lars and Dimitri driving*.

-JESSIE. * They shouted *.

-Band motherfucker. I love you.

-Go climb Fool.

* I waved to Lars who handed me his bike while Jessie sat behind me. She squeezed me with all her strength as if she never wanted to let me go again. Lars climbed up behind Dimitri and hugged him too *.

-Hey what are you doing here?

-No way that I fall because of your disastrous driving.

* The guards started screaming again. Haha these cowards regain confidence again *.

-It looks like they took it back. * Said Lars *.

-Follow me I lead the way.

* I purred the engine of my motorbike as my rifle became a sword again. I suddenly started and plunged into the cave. On the way, fairly quick guards followed us *.

-SEB you know where is the exit? * Asked Dimitri *.

-Follow me that's all. * I replied curtly *.

* A monster appeared in front. Frankly it's cheating, he came out in slow motion in front of me and I sliced ​​him sharply, the same for the other two after him. Clean and precise cut worthy of the best butchers, then I turned left but two monsters appeared. I shot the magnum in their heads which exploded and turned right. I continued but ran into a small horde of monsters. I changed the magnum to an Uzi and strafed all those critters, gunning them down, then opened a way for me. The weapon became sometimes a crossbow sometimes a slingshot and even a fucking Guandao. Then again an M-16 Assault rifle. I thus made my way through the cave, alternating arms until there was only one wall in front of me *.

- What the fuck do we do?

-We pass through.

* I slashed the wall with a clean sword blow, opening a huge gaping hole right in front of me. We found ourselves outside in a flash before drifting to graze. There I noticed that the others were right next door and that I had created a second exit door. The sword became a grenade launcher and I shot at the wall which knocked the rock down. Aaron looked at me speechless *.

-Holy mothrr of God ...

-What are you doing, blow up the shit entrance.

-YES YES

* He pressed the charges and they exploded. The guardians would run towards the exit to escape the landslide but I settled in with an MG-42 machine gun and sprayed them all until the rock completely covered the entrance. The purple water was finally sealed. The weapon turned back to a sword and when I stood up everyone was staring at me. I admit the day today was extraordinary and surely me again. But it is there that suddenly I was taken back from the same flashes, I felt a discomfort and ended up collapsing in front of them. What the hell did I do wrong this time? *.

-Nahel

-Nahel ....

* One thing is certain with the visions that I have seen the blood of the dragon should never be used for military purposes. This cave must remain sealed ... forever. Whatever the cost. You hear me ? Arianne. *

*To be continued*