"Snap out of it!" A loud voice made me regain my senses.
Despite being in Zen, the force of the wind around me was so intense that I couldn’t even open my eyes. With only three minutes left until I would be crushed by the pressure of the monstrous bird’s beak and blown away by the fierce winds, I knew that my time was running out. The only thing keeping me alive was my exceptional physique, which was beyond what any ordinary human could endure.
Despite being almost completely drained of energy, I managed to muster the strength to slightly open my eyes and get a glimpse of my surroundings. To my surprise, I saw that Kei was standing on top of the monstrous bird, somehow maintaining his balance by grabbing onto one of its feathers. It suddenly dawned on me that he must have made a daring leap through the air in order to land on the bird as it snatched me from my route.
As I strained my eyes, I realised that we were high up in the sky, with no ground visible below us. Kipduff Mountain was still visible, with its peak shrouded by clouds looming ominously above us. The wind was whipping past us with incredible force, threatening to tear us from our perch at any moment.
Struggling to keep my eyes open in the face of the brutal winds, I observed as Kei launched an attack on the monstrous bird by plunging his dagger into its back. Despite activating his Zen, the dagger merely clanged against the tough skin of the creature, failing to pierce through it.
Reacting to the attack, the bird began to shake its body violently in an attempt to dislodge Kei from his position. However, Kei held on tightly, grabbing onto the bird’s hair with one hand to maintain his grip. The bird screeched loudly in annoyance, the deafening noise ringing in my ears long after the sound had subsided.
Kei began to walk cautiously and slowly toward the bird’s head, getting closer and closer to where I was held, unfazed by the bird’s frantic movements. We were in danger of being torn from the bird’s back and falling to our deaths far below as the wind continued to howl around us.
Kei continued to be unflappable, his gaze fixated on the bird as he drew nearer, his hand still firmly grasping his blade despite its earlier failure to do any harm.
I swiftly reached for one of my weapons and grasped it tightly, rotating it with force and using the ring-shaped handle to add momentum. With just a minute left of my Zen state, I watched as Kei approached the bird’s head, inching closer and closer.
I fixed my eyes on the monstrous bird’s leg, observing its razor-sharp talons, which could easily tear through steel. As I watched its movements, I attempted to discern the perfect timing to launch my weapon, carefully considering the speed and direction of the wind. However, my lack of experience made it difficult for me to pinpoint the ideal moment to strike.
I knew that timing was crucial, as even the slightest mistake could result in my weapon being blown away by the fierce winds. I took a deep breath and tried to calm my mind, allowing my senses to become more attuned to the bird’s movements. I observed the rhythm of its wings, the way it adjusted its balance mid-flight, and the timing of its screeches.
Suddenly, I saw an opening. The bird had momentarily lowered its leg, and I knew that this was my chance. I gripped my weapon tightly, and with all my strength, I launched it towards the bird’s leg. It flew true, piercing through the tough skin and embedding itself deep into the flesh.
As the bird began to descend, its screech echoed through the sky, causing our ears to ring. Kei quickly realised that the creature was focusing on the wound on its leg and took the opportunity to strike again with his dagger.
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He lunged forward, aiming straight for the bird’s single eye. However, the creature quickly closed its eye in response, and a thick membrane covered it, making it impenetrable to Kei’s attack. Despite his Zen state, Kei was unable to find a weakness in the creature’s defences.
I watched in horror as Kei’s dagger bounced off the bird’s eye, leaving no mark on the tough membrane. The bird’s attention turned to Kei once again, and it let out another ear-piercing screech.
As the bird descended, I could make out the details of our destination. We were headed towards a large crater on the ground, with giant eggs scattered around its centre like candy in a bowl. The peak of the mountain was still visible above us, but we had been lifted quite high into the sky. As we approached the crater, I could see the gruesome aftermath of previous encounters with the creature. Dozens of disfigured corpses lay on the ground, likely other Venturers who had fallen victim to the bird’s attacks.
Kei’s actions caught my attention as my Zen timer continued to tick down, leaving me with only 30 seconds. Despite my initial hopelessness, I watched in amazement as Kei’s efforts caused a strange occurrence. Exhausted and with his Zen state fading, Kei grabbed onto one of the bird’s wings to keep from being blown away by the fierce wind.
However, the area where his hand met the wing started emanating an ominous aura, and I watched as the colour of the wing slowly faded away. Surprised by this sudden change, Kei let out a yelp. As the bird let out a cry, its wing went limp, and it began to lose altitude rapidly.
The bird’s strength had finally given out, and it released its grip on me, dropping me from its beak. Meanwhile, Kei had lost consciousness and was falling to the ground. As we plummeted towards the earth, I realised that we had fallen below the area where the bird’s nest was located.
The bird had lost control due to its injured wing, and we were now close enough to one of the mountain’s routes to have a chance at survival. However, the odds were still slim, and the thought of the impact made my heart race with fear.
The once powerful state of Zen had left me, and I was left vulnerable to the merciless winds of the towering mountain. The gusts of wind were so intense that they were lashing at my body, leaving shallow cuts and bruises all over me.
The noise of the winds was so loud that it made it impossible for me to focus my thoughts, and eventually, my mind went completely blank. The force of the wind was so strong that it felt as if it was tearing my very being apart, leaving me defenceless against the mountain’s unforgiving nature.
**
I opened my eyes and heard the sound of water dripping. Confused and disoriented, I tried to move, but pain shot through my body, reminding me of the injuries I had sustained. As I struggled to get up, I realised that I was lying on wet ground, surrounded by a dome of rock. Next to me lay Kei, unconscious but seemingly in better physical shape than I was.
The environment we were in seemed to be some kind of cavern. I tried to rouse Kei, but he remained unresponsive. A wave of relief washed over me as I felt his warm hand, knowing that he was still alive even though he was unconscious.
I used all of my might to lift Kei onto my back and look for a way out, despite my own injuries. It occurred to me to wonder how we had come to be here.
As I navigated through the cavern, the sound of dripping water echoed through the walls, creating an eerie and unsettling atmosphere. I tried to stay alert, scanning the environment for any signs of danger. The dim light made it difficult to see, but I pressed on, driven by the need to find a way out and get help for both of us.
As I made my way through the cave, my eyes caught sight of a faint glow coming from a certain direction. With curiosity piqued, I walked towards it and soon found myself staring in awe at a floating creature that resembled a jellyfish. Its body emitted a soft white light that illuminated the entire cave, revealing a breathtaking sight.
To my amazement, I discovered that there were dozens of these creatures floating around a massive dome-shaped roof that was at least the size of a dozen houses combined. The roof was adorned with glowing jellyfish that illuminated the entire space, creating a magical and surreal atmosphere.
As I continued to observe the surroundings, I noticed a man-made structure below the glowing dome. It appeared to be a laboratory surrounded by lush green carpets. The centre of the laboratory had a figure standing there, perhaps overseeing the activities taking place.
My face was in his line of sight as he turned, and our eyes met.