The bravest survives

"That's terrible," I said as Adam received another bowl of soup. He gobbled it up instantly.

"But the most intriguing part… is that no one realised it. No one. Just my great-grandfather, who has experienced such intensity in his last adventure. At this lake, this location, where the tall mountains strikes the skies, and the clear lake that is clear as you see it. It was wacky, though, until I found myself here," added the captain we all stared at the amazing landscape. It was marvellous!

But the story felt too unrealistic. I could not imagine the scene when the green pillar of light fell down behind the tall mountains.

Where did it fell? That is a question that I must find the answer for myself.

"Hundreds of brave men have tried to get to the mountains, but no one have ever succeeded. Yeah, you don't want to try to kill yourself, but who cares anyway," muttered the captain as he went to his tent, to get some sleep.

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Nightfall has came. The shimmering stars and the full moon illuminated the dark skies. The cicadas and the calling frogs were noisy. Leaving only the three of us, around their campfire, we were still there, thinking.

"We should try to go there," I said as Akiff raised his head.

"You're nuts? He said only try if you want to kill yourself," muttered Akiff sorrowfully as he stirred his coffee in an endless circle.

"Let's go for a night trek, then," Adam suggested as Akiff sighed again.

"You never thought what lives beyond these woods," added Akiff.

I stood up, and packed my bag. With a torch, I stood between my friends, confident.

"Then let's trek," I said as Adam nodded, and packed his bag, and a forced Akiff, without any complaints, packed his belongings. When we were about to take a few steps… an eerie sound like buzzing electricity was heard by the shore of the lake. Something bright appeared. We squinted our eyes to the source, and was shocked!

An opening portal, like a crack in the dimensions, was there. Of course we were shocked. Something supernatural just happened before our eyes and we have our eyes locked on the sight.

A gaping hole which led to nowhere was seen before us, only the three of us. Without any hesitation, I leaped in, followed by my friends who were shocked by my reckless actions. Nevertheless, they decided to jump into the trouble with me.

"What the?" Adam shouted by the moment we landed in the other mouth of the portal. I could not believe my eyes. The world was not used to be what we see.

"Snow?!" That was my pal shouted as I could not believe my eyes either. Was I supposed to be in the forests? And why is it in the day, not in the night skies??

"Are you kidding me?!" I hissed as I tightened my jacket, and stripped the winter clothes off the bag, and wore them.

"What is this place?" Adam shivered as he put on his thickest mountain jacket.

"The mountains that were by the lake," I said shortly as some visible breath come out of my mouth. Oh my, it is dammed cold.

But weirdly, the view was clear, just some blowing wind which rarely struck us. The nature was untouched and very beautiful, that even our steps were left clearly for a few minutes later.

"Why did no one ever survive this?" asked Adam as we still walked pointlessly through the path. I was about to glance to the fresh white caps when a bright light shone behind us. What is happening?

That mountain, was now glowing in blue. The captivating light shone the ground below us, and the huge structures around us. I was about to wow… when suddenly that mountain rumbled.

The ground shook, too, that blue essence became thicker and thicker. Then a small explosion was visible on that mountain, and a deadly chain reaction made one of the nightmares of skiers… avalanches!

"Heck!" screeched Akiff as we grabbed our legs and pulled ourselves as fast as possible, the ground rumbling and shaking like an earthquake.

"Aargh!" I shrieked as we were trying to outrun a storm of avalanche which could move ninety kilometres per hour! That was like thrice our speed, and we will sink in it if we were too late!

We were running for our lives in an insane chase as the snowstorm behind us engulfed the distance bit by bit, like wanting to swallow us whole. When I wanted to speed up, my legs suddenly stepped on air. I peered down, and it was a long down there. A crevasse which looks like has no end to the deep was I about to fall. But at that second…

Without me realising it, I grabbed a stiff trek stick as someone with unbelievable courage swung my body up to the ground again. What strength!

I landed by the top of the crevasse, slumped with a thud. Two other thuds were heard in front of me. Were those my friends? Well, I passed out then.

—————————————

"Turn on the autopilot," Shyfil said as Salahuddin pressed a specific button. They immediately rested after checking their surroundings and their radar, then searching for any signs of food and water.

"A sack of McDonald's," muttered Shyfil as he pulled the carton off the bag, tired of rummaging.

"Water bottles," said Salahuddin shortly as they pulled out whatever they found.

"What a great game we've played," sighed Salahuddin as he watched outside, still holding a munched-up burger by his right. Shyfil drank some water. The skies were blue, as the white clouds passed.

"What are we even doing? Passing someone's borders, making a fuss in the streets, that was not attitude at all," commented Shyfil as suddenly the plane rumbled a bit. Not because of turbulence.

"Captain, there is a storm in front of us. Shall we make a turn to it?" The plane's AI voice went.

"Turn it-" BOOM!! A lightning bolt swam out of the clouds and struck the engine, making red alerts went wild. The two friends left their fast food, and dashed to the cockpit. The plane rattled wildly as the entire right side were blazes of hell.

"We're descending altitude rapidly! The plane might not be controlled if late!" The AI reminded them fiercely as Salahuddin slammed the triggers to stabilise the airborne giant. Warnings flashed in the screen, beads of perspiration dripped off their heads as they tried to endure the intense G-force.

"Aargh!!" screamed Salahuddin as the plane started to gain control of the falling sensation. All the engines by the right were burnt and smoking, forcing them to fly the plane in a half-engine situation.

"Hold on!!" Salahuddin gritted with temper as the plane passed through a cloud, what is actually-

"Aargh!" shrieked Shyfil as warning beeps echoed to their ears. 'Low altitude!' 'Low altitude!' The alarms went off as the young pilots pulled the nose up like trying to snap it off.

BLAR! Lightning flashed through the ominous clouds, shattering the skies. What happened next was something unexpected.