The depth was terrifying. The drafts hit my face and I couldn't see anything, except for the ice rocks that glowed with a faint light. As I descended, I noticed that the ground had strange protrusions, as if they were enormous holes.
Panic paralyzed me; my mind couldn't think clearly and my body didn't respond in the air.
"What do I do?" I asked myself, agitated.
¡Skkressh!
A roar echoed and pulled me out of my fear: the salamander had fallen with me. I stabilized myself in the air, adopting the position of a parachutist, although she seemed calm.
He attacked me with rapid shots of his tongue, but gravity made it difficult for him to hit. Just then, a huge centipede fell next to us and skillfully slid towards one of the bumps on the ground.
—Incredible... — I murmured, surprised.
While my attention was diverted towards the centipede, an intense light began to emanate from the salamander. Its tail ran along its entire back, illuminating its veins with a magma-colored glow, ending in its open mouth, ready for a deadly attack.
I didn't have time to dodge. I held my breath and braced myself to take the shot, but thanks to my pulse ability, I managed to deflect the flame just before impact, sending it flying away.
¡Boom!
The explosion rumbled fiercely, causing stalactites to fall and raising a cloud of dust at the impact site.
That was close —I thought.
The salamander didn't give up and charged its attack again, its mouth ablaze with flames. I raised my arms to protect myself and prepared to repeat the defense, without noticing exactly where we were or that we were heading towards the ground.
Crack!
Suddenly, the darkness enveloped me as my body brushed against the wall. I had fallen into one of the holes I had seen before. The curve of the tunnel cushioned my fall, preventing a hard impact.
The ground disappeared, and I slid down an ice tunnel that froze my legs. I couldn't stop; it was like an endless slide.
"How far will this go?" I wondered, accelerating.
I felt a slight tremor upon arriving at an area with several similar entrances. The blue light from the ice made it hard to see, but I saw a dark spot moving quickly, approaching one of the entrances.
The tremor grew stronger. If it continued, I would run into whatever that thing was. The distance was short.
—Ugh!
I activated the pulse ability and stepped back, but the force of the impact numbed my arm.
Narrowing my eyes, I managed to see what was crossing my path. It was the centipede, which, with its terrifying presence and a rough, raw sound due to the movement of each of its legs, shattered the silence, leaving enormous scratches all around.
What the hell! — I thought, as I got up among the tears.
Balancing my body, I avoided continuing to descend. But what was the point, it was good that I wasn't claustrophobic, this closed labyrinth of tunnels, it was impossible to know where it would lead me.
My heart was pounding, fear, adrenaline, and pain mixed together, overwhelming my mind, which couldn't find a way out of this place.
I couldn't go up because of the ice, the two entrances on either side of me, I wasn't sure, I only saw a long passage, just like the descent.
"This is going to drive me crazy," I said, scratching my head.
What an unfortunate place. At that moment, I felt the same slight tremor as before, making me stumble a bit and move from my spot.
—Yay!
I tried to keep my body balanced so I wouldn't fall, extending my arms as if I were trying to support myself between the walls. Freezing my legs to avoid slipping, ending up in a strange anteater pose.
My feet slid on the ice, descending at a slow pace, but gradually increasing. While I tried not to slip, I began to look everywhere, because the tremor didn't stop, but grew stronger.
If I didn't do something, I would encounter the centipede.
When I looked back, I was able to see in the distance the centipede, who took the same route as me, descending recklessly.
—He's going to catch me! —I shouted, while a worried face was shown to me.
I placed one foot in front of the other, helping with balance, using one of my hands for support, while stretching the other arm towards the centipede.
Activating the ability, I propelled myself, moving forward with speed. At the same time, the curved position of my body, along with everything else, helped me not to veer off and fall.
I was consecutively using the pulse ability to distance myself. But the centipede was getting closer little by little. Even though I used aerodynamics to prevent the air from pushing me, it wasn't enough.
"Let's try this!" I exclaimed, as he changed the shape of my hand.
Pointing with my finger, I shot a frigid bullet. Traveling through the tunnel, the ice bullet struck the centipede.
—¡scrhiiccck!
With a heartbreaking screech, the centipede seemed affected by the shot, expelling a dark liquid through its exoskeleton.
Take advantage of the time, and keep accelerating. Mastering the ice, I glided naturally, overtaking several entrances, even a few curves.
There had been two minutes when I couldn't see the centipede, and a way out could be seen. A part where darkness could be seen.
—It's almost done— he said, when he had a smile.
But... the tremor reappeared. The centipede revealed itself, but since I was very far away, I don't think it will reach me.
The centipede, furious, upon seeing me, emitted a visible dark aura, illuminating its body with a faint black light. And it accelerated, matching the speed of a bullet, approaching immediately.
"Damn it!" I shouted desperately.
Pushing myself with everything, I accelerated, with the opportunity to get out of this labyrinthine slide.
The moment of danger, the centipede approached aggressively, my speed did not match its. But thanks to the fact that I was much further ahead. I managed to get out along with the centipede.
—Yes!... Wow!
Even though it was spread out in the air. The centipede tried to swallow me. Using my pulse ability, I managed to dodge it, positioning myself on top of the centipede, and on one of its scales, there was the whip.
—Good!
I ran for the whip, and I detached it, holding onto one of the stalactites hanging from the ceiling.
—¡scrhiiccck!
The centipede screamed as it fell into the deep darkness, but I never heard any sound of a crash. I sighed, in my relief, gripping the whip tightly, so as not to be the next to fall.
It was not an endless darkness; its density yielded to brilliant ice pillars that rose from the ground in the form of giant spikes.
Looking around, I managed to see a place where I could fall, but below me was pure darkness. If I wanted to get there...
I have to swing— I thought, as I looked at the distance I was at.
He was far away, a jump wouldn't be possible, using my ability? maybe, but it wasn't so certain. I gritted my teeth, held the whip tighter. I leaned my body back, then forward. Repeating.
¡Chocante!
The whip was slipping. It was now or never. One last lean, one last push, I let go of the whip, just as it finally let go. (pulse) I extended my arm to reach the edge.
¡Pista!
—uff— I sighed, barely reaching it. I was hanging, holding onto the edge.
Gathering strength, I supported myself with the other arm and began to climb slowly. I was agitated, the fear of thinking I hadn't succeeded persisted. I collapsed on the floor, giving myself a break.
(You are very far from your team)
A familiar voice was heard from my pants pocket. When I looked to see what it was, I pulled out the equipment stone. It shone with a faint light.
"Professor?" I asked. While I was talking to the stone.
(Yes, don't you know that I'm one of the supervisors?) Something's off with you, isn't it?
—... pff, haha
(What's so funny?)
Hearing a familiar voice really brightened the moment, no matter what situation you were in.
—And why?
(Do you mean, why am I talking to you right now?)
—Something like that.
Even though I felt good, talking to someone else felt strange to me, why now?
(I have been watching several students...) — Selene told me about the role of the teachers.
They visually evaluated the student teams. Apart from the competition for points and eliminations. The performance of each one would help them not only to assign specific courses but also to level up.
So it was an opportunity for the students and teachers of Eldoria Academy.
(Although my priority was to examine you from the beginning)
—mnh... How did I do? — I asked, as I sat on the floor.
(acceptable, for now. Separating from your team will cost you points)
"I understand," I said, while feeling slightly disappointed.
It's not that I cared about my points, but that it harmed others made me feel guilty. They didn't do anything wrong for me to deduct their points.
(…They are the teachers' aides, they will do well)
Apparently, they can be managed, the problem was me, I have to prioritize not being eliminated or it will all have been in vain.
—Thank you... —I thanked Selene, who, by her voice, seemed to be worried.
Sometimes, she can be cute—I thought with a small smile.
(Well, I'm not allowed to talk to students for long. Take care, my student)
The words ceased, along with the glow of the equipment stone. An abrupt cut, it stopped, and silence appeared. I felt a bit lonely, the lighting was dim, but not completely dark.
Without weapons, I picked up a stone from the ground and struck one of the ice spikes with it. Breaking and separating the tip. I broke a root that was in a corner of the dark entrance.
Tie the ice pick and the root with the string from the food bag. And so I had a lantern, in the form of a torch.
"Let's do it," I said, while breathing heavily.
In one hand, I had the flashlight, and in the other, the quipu stone, which I used as a map. To find the others, and I'm sure they did too.
This is something stressful—I thought, and without realizing it, I was pressing both hands.
Even if I said I needed to hold on, these feelings will eventually get out of control and make me do crazy things. If that were to happen, I hope they stop me.
I don't have...trust in him...