TOFD 503

Lucky 503



Datu Azim gasped for air but all that entered her mouth was painful water. She couldn't breathe and her mind stopped thinking, all she could do was do her best to swim up but her body didn't know how to. 


Datu Azim was from a desert tribe and they rarely spend time in water. Datu Azim never swam into a deep body of water. This was her first time and she was afraid, the main reason why she couldn't move and think well. Fear overtook her mind. 


Her face filled with fear as she flailed her arms like she was dying... Which she was. She was drowning. 


She suddenly regrets following the foreign man to the mountain. Now, her death was eminent. She was the leader of her tribe and her people needed her yet she would die a worthless was in this unknown river. 


However, her hope suddenly rekindled when someone grabbed her hand and pulled her up. Her eyes hurt being underwater but her vision caught Calix saving her. 


She was surprised but also happy. Of course she was happy to be alive... She promised herself that she would start practicing swimming. 


Calix and Datu Azim reached the surface of the river and both took deep breaths. Datu Azim realized how grateful she was for having a chance to breathe again. 


Fortunately, their situation was still not good. Both of them looked around, the waves of water were strong. The current pushed them forward without stopping. 


The two saw dangerous rocks in the river. If they collided with even one of them, they might suffer an injury. Especially Datu Azim who had no battlesuit to protect her. 


"Hold me tight!"


"Huh? A- Alright!"


The woman didn't care about manners and hugged the man's neck, her face close to his. 


This was the first time that Datu Azim was close to a man's face. Too bad because Datu Azim didn't have the time to appreciate Calix's beauty. 


Mento transformed into a harpoon gun with rope. Calix looked around to see which was the safest spot to land. He then saw a cave a few meters away. 


He pulled the trigger and the harpoon successfully stabbed a stable rock. He clicked a button and the rope started rolling and became shorter. 


Datu Azim was confident in her knowledge after 50 years of living on this planet, he learned a lot of stuff, even the language of the Eastern Continent. However, this was the first time she saw a gun transforming into another form of gun. She was still amazed by it. 


The two successfully escaped the strong current river. They landed in front of the eerie cave. 


Datu Azim coughed a mouthful of river water out of her system while Calix checked the surroundings.


He sensed something strange deep inside the cave. But he decided to focus on another thing first. 


He pulled out a small cube and passed it to Datu Azim. 


"This is a battlesuit. It has a warming function so you will not feel cold if you wear it."


"... I don't know how to use it." Datu Azim slightly blushed. She was shocked that Calix would let her use something as precious as this. 


"Wear it. I don't want you to get cold. Here, let me help you."


"... Alright."


Calix put the small cube to her chest and pushed a button. The black gooey suit expanded and covered the woman. 


Datu Azim confirmed that she was not warm anymore. 


"Thanks. I'll make sure to pay back this favor." She muttered. Datu Azim was the type who didn't own a debt. One of the reasons why she helped Calix to find the Floating Castle. 


After checking their status, the two returned their focus to the cave. 


They disregarded the cave at first but now, they can't disregard it anymore. 


The river was too strong for them to swim and the canyon was too tall for them to climb. Both options were dangerous. 


"Looks like we don't have a choice. Perhaps this cave can lead us to an exit."


"... Let's do it." Datu Azim replied with her unique accent. 


The two entered the eerie cave. Both of them sensed that there was something wrong with this cave but they didn't have a choice but to explore it, to find a way out of their predicament. 


The cave was dark but Calix had flashlights so that was not a problem. They slowly walked deeper into the cave... It was too quiet, they could hear nothing except their own breathing. As if this cave lacked any life.


As they walked further, the two saw a light at the end of the tunnel. Calix and Datu Azim nodded at each other, hoping for a better outcome. 


As they slowly got closer to the light, they started hearing the screams of the damned souls. Their terrifying growls and suffering. 


The two stopped walking... But it was too late, their eyes caught the scene. 


The light was not the exit, it was a huge ball of fire. The fire had endless screams from so many souls like there was no other day. The screams made the two shiver. 


Their painful screams were a truthful representation of their suffering. The fire was just showing it. 


"... The Illusory Flame." 


Datu Azim only heard this thing from her ancestor. They said that endless souls were trapped in the Flame... Yet she didn't expect this outcome. 


These were not just trapped, they were all suffering, screaming, and hoping that everything would end. 


Never in her mind would she expect to see many existences suffer like this. She suddenly felt like drowning was better than these souls were experiencing. 


"There is something about this Flame that makes them suffer."


Calix muttered. His curiosity and fear were battling. There was something about this Flame that he was eager to understand. As if his bloodline was connected to it. 


"Who's there?" 


Suddenly, someone near the Flame appeared and spoke to them. 


+++++


[RDD will be posted tomorrow.]