Kai scanned both directions of the deserted road and suggested, "We should stick to the path. Maybe we'll get lucky and find a passing cart." They had been walking for an hour and hadn't come across any signs of life. Kit wasn't holding out much hope for hitching a ride.
The sound of rushing water caught his attention, signalling that they were nearing the river. Memories flooded back of their previous encounter with water, leaving Kit feeling uneasy. He wondered if he would have the same reaction this time around.
Kit turned to his traveling companion and asked, "Do you think I should use something to plug my ears to help combat the sound of the river? Maybe it would make it easier for me." He didn't want to feel overwhelmed by the noise again, where his emotions were being dragged down by the relentless current.
Kai gave Kit a stern look and chided, "If you can't handle a simple river, how do you expect to face dangerous monsters on our journey? Adventure is not for the faint-hearted, only the strong and fearless."
Mars gently reminded Kai, "Strength isn't just about battling monsters. You know this firsthand, as an adventurer yourself."
Kai glanced at Mars and then at Kit before continuing, "The noise won't be pleasant, but it's bearable. Once we reach the bridge, Flower Field town is just a short distance away." Kit realised that despite his initial harsh words, Kai was now trying to offer comfort and reassurance.
As promised, after turning a corner on the road, the town came into view. But along with it, they also saw a massive bridge spanning a wide river. Kit couldn't help but shudder at the thought of crossing that bridge.
The feeling of dread from being close to the river crept back into his mind. He wasn't sure if it was the sound or the sight of the river that caused his fear, but he knew he wasn't looking forward to this part of their journey.
The closer they got, the more anxious and unsettled Kit felt. His legs trembled as they moved towards the river, he pushed through his anxiety, they had to cross the bridge to reach the town.
Finally, they reached the foot of the bridge, the noise was overwhelming. Kit couldn't understand how Kai could consider it manageable. He held onto the sling around his neck tightly to make sure Snowball wouldn't fall out by accident.
As he looked at the rest of their group, he wondered if anyone else shared his reservations about crossing the river. But he seemed to be the only one who paled at the thought. Even Pint didn't appear phased by going over the bridge.
Had he developed a phobia of rivers? Or was there another reason for his fear?
As Kit peered over the bridge, his eyes widened at the sight of dark, massive fish swarming below. Their black bodies were mottled with patches of decayed flesh, leaving their insides exposed and rotting. The stench of death lingered in the air, making Kit's stomach churn.
Despite the raging current, the fish seemed to hold their ground, thrashing, and writhing against each other. It was a chaotic scene, with no sense of calm in the foaming depths below. The jagged rocks protruding from the water looked even more menacing up close, their edges sharp and unforgiving.
The rushing water sounded like an angry mob, barrelling through the ravine with a fierce determination to consume everything in its path. Kit felt a shiver run down his spine as he gazed into the tumultuous waters below.
Kit tore his gaze from the water towards the rickety wooden bridge. It looked like it could crumble at any moment. There were gaps between the pillars that made up its structure, leaving Kit puzzled as to how it could withstand the raging waters beneath it.
The wooden bridge seemed unreliable at first glance. Kit hesitated, afraid that even stepping on it would cause it to crumble and fall into the rushing water below. His already pale complexion paled even further, and he began to feel queasy. Mars gave Kit a curious look. "You seem nervous, Kit. Are you afraid of water or heights?"
Kit's voice trembled as he responded, "Is there another bridge nearby? This one doesn't seem very safe."
Kai stole a quick glance at Kit before speaking. "The next bridge is still a days walk from here, but we don't have the luxury of time to use it. We need to get into town as soon as possible," he said with a sense of urgency in his voice. "Last night, we were lucky that the adorable shrewd shifter didn't attack us. But we can't count on being so fortunate again tonight."
Kit sighed, knowing this is what Kai would say. He reassured himself that it was just one bridge and it had stood for many years without issue. However, as he finished his self-encouragement, a large tree branch came rushing down the river and collided with the bridge, causing it to groan loudly.
The branch then smashed into one of the rocks below, splintering apart and sending wood pieces crashing into more rocks. Kit was horrified by the sheer power of the river. One wrong step and he would be minced into pieces. He sent a desperate glance towards Mars, to get his friends help in swaying Kai's decision.
But Kai noticed the plea and stepped in between the two. "Sorry, Kit. We must cross here. I can lead you if you don't want to look. Your friend was right earlier- strength is not just physical, it's also about conquering your fears." Kit felt a twinge of envy at the unwavering confidence in Kai's deep voice. He longed to feel that fearless and assured. The mere thought of crossing the river filled Kit with dread.
“Okay, you’ve got this Kit! I am brave and nothing can stop me, especially not this raging river!” His attempt at a pep talk failed miserably, so he just resigned himself to pushing through.
Taking a deep breath, he could feel his body tense up and his hands becoming clammy. Instead of the usual sense of anticipation, all he felt was intense fear. His hands began to tremble, and he felt weak. Kit tried to focus on his dream of opening a restaurant as he took each step onto the bridge.
But as he reached the middle, his body was overcome by all the negative emotions that came with the memory of his father's death. Bits and pieces from that day flashed before his eyes, causing him to stumble and eventually collapse onto the wooden planks. He could see flashes of water and memories blending together, pulling him back into that nightmare.
The intensity of the flashbacks increased until he felt like he was reliving that day all over again. The pain in his chest grew tighter and tears streamed down his face as he watched himself walking down the stairs just after his father's passing.
Kit flinched as he replayed the memory of a cup smashing against his face. He could still feel the sharp pain, taste the metallic tang of blood in his mouth, and the acrid scent of broken porcelain. It was like he was being controlled by an invisible puppeteer, unable to break free from the strings that were tightening around him with each passing moment.
The voices in his head whispered cruel insults, “you are weak and worthless, a mistake that should have never been born.” Despite all his efforts to overcome these thoughts, Kit knew they still lingered in the back of his mind, ready to resurface during moments of weakness.
Kit could hear noise in the background but couldn’t focus on it, he could faintly make out Snowball's whimpers. Nausea rose and he leaned over and vomited, feeling himself succumbing to that familiar emptiness that promised to numb all the pain.
- 5 health
- 5 health
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Kit's health began to decline rapidly as he struggled to understand what was happening to him.
“Kit, are you alright? What happened?” Kit couldn’t process Mars' words; he was too lost in his despair. Snowball bit at his wrist, making Kit jerk in surprise. He was brought back to the present moment, but he could feel himself slipping away again.
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Snowball bit him once more, this time also tugging on the bracelet around Kit’s arm. Kit focused all of his energy on the bracelet, remembering how his sister had told him it was blessed. He prayed for a miracle now.
The desire to escape from these painful memories consumed him, and he feared that it might be too late. But in a moment of clarity, he mustered up the strength to reach for Kat's bracelet, hoping it would offer some kind of solace. To his surprise, the bracelet began to emit a bright glow.
The light spread and slowly made its way up Kit's arm until his entire body was engulfed in its radiance. Along with the pulsing light came an unfamiliar sensation that Kit couldn't quite place. As he looked down at himself, all the painful memories were suddenly pushed aside and replaced with a new horror that left him speechless.
"Holy pumpkins! How in the world did this even happen?" Kit exclaimed, looking down at his current appearance. He was dressed in a tight pink dress, reminiscent of a character from Kat's favourite manga series. It was all too familiar to him.
But that wasn't all - he also had on a choker necklace and two pigtails on top of his head. As he reached up to touch his hair, he realised that the bracelet Kat had given him must have been the cause of this sudden transformation.
"Freaking Kat! I swear I'll get you back for this," Kit muttered, but stopped in shock as he heard his own voice. It was no longer deep and masculine; instead, it was high-pitched and sweet like a lolli. A loud gasp behind him made Kit turn around, only to see someone else who was equally surprised by his new look.
"Oh my god, Kit, what is that? Haha, that's the funniest thing I've ever seen. I'll never let you live this down." Mars exploded into fits of laughter, while Kai beside him struggled to contain his own.
Kit let out a sigh, unable to blame them for finding humour in his current predicament. He couldn't help but take another glance at his body, causing a shudder to pass through him for a completely different reason than before. He mentally vowed to get revenge on Kat once he was out of the game.
Kit was initially shocked by his sudden change in appearance and voice, but as he stood up, he realised that the strong emotions he had felt from the river were no longer present. He didn't know how long this break would last before the pull of the river returned.
With a shuddering breath, he quickly made his way across the bridge, afraid that the overwhelming feelings might come back at any moment.
Thankfully, the transformation didn't include high heels and soon Kit reached safety. He collapsed onto shaky legs leaning against a tree to catch his breath.
Even with some distance between him and the river, the overwhelming emotions still lingered in his mind. He stopped under a nearby tree and waited for the others to catch up, grateful for Snowball's comforting presence in the sling.
"I'm feeling better now, Snowball. Thank you for pulling me out of that dark place," Kit said with a frown, not liking the sound of his own voice. He hoped this wasn't a permanent change.
Kit reached into his bag and pulled out a piece of Apelop meat to give to Snowball as a treat. The little creature had earned it. Carefully, he placed the meat on the ground and released Snowball from his sling. The tiny companion eagerly pounced on the food.
Kit was still reeling from the events that had happened earlier. After managing to calm himself down, he couldn't stop thinking about the ghastly pink dress that he was still wearing.
"How in the world do I make this hideous dress vanish? And this voice...it's downright unsettling coming out of my own mouth." Kit was baffled by how Kat had managed to conjure up the dress and change his voice.
He felt embarrassed as Mars and Kai saw him in the outfit, but he was grateful that the shock of wearing it distracted him from his traumatic memories. Secretly, he would rather wear the dress than relive those painful moments.
While waiting, Kit did some breathing exercises to calm himself down and push away negative thoughts. He focused on his dream in CAL until he felt a sense of peace wash over him. Opening his eyes, he noticed that his clothes had returned to normal. Curious, he tested his voice to make sure it had also reverted to its original sound.
“Kat, we need to have a serious talk once I get out of this situation.” Kit let out a relieved sigh, movement down the road caught his attention. Two figures were walking towards him in the distance.
Kit's face turned red with embarrassment. How would he face his two friends after throwing up and showing up in a pink dress? He braced himself for the jokes and teasing he was sure to receive.
His mind was fragile, and he didn't know if he could handle being laughed at again. Maybe it was a mistake to try to make friends; he wasn't ready for people to see him at his most vulnerable.
The last time he had broken down in front of others, they started whispering and spreading rumours about him being bad luck. Some even told him directly that he was a burden and should go back to the mental hospital.
Others avoided him or gave him pitying looks keeping their distance. Kit patted Snowball, trying to calm himself while he waited for his friends. He knew that they would leave soon, and he could fall apart in private. People always seemed to avoid him after seeing him like this. It made them uncomfortable, so they either lashed out or ignored him altogether.
This was why Kit had avoided making friends for so long; as much as he missed having company, it wasn't worth feeling like this. He felt even more agitated as his friends finally joined him, but to his surprise, they both looked apologetic rather than mocking him like he expected.
“I apologise, Kit. I shouldn’t have laughed at you when you were going through a tough time. I should have been there to support you instead. I was just taken aback by your sudden change. I'm not being a good friend.” Mars hung his head and started to fidget nervously.
“I promise next time I won't laugh. If changing clothes helps you feel better, I'll help you pick out some outfits. I'll even wear them with you if it will make you feel more comfortable.” Mars gazed at Kit, waiting for his response. Kit was surprised by Mars' offer of support.
It was a rare occurrence for someone to apologise to Kit after he had a meltdown. He was used to being avoided and treated like an outcast. However, this time was different. Mars not only acknowledged his mistake, but also sincerely apologised without trying to shift the blame onto Kit.
Although Kit felt grateful for the apology, he couldn't fully forgive Mars yet. When Mars offered to wear a dress as well, Kit couldn't help but have mischievous thoughts about it. "Thank you for apologising, Mars. It would make me feel better if you also wore a dress," Kit replied with a hint of mischief in his voice.
Kit lowered his head, hoping to avoid any attention being drawn to his lie. He had no control over the malfunctioning dress he was wearing, he honestly hoped he would never have to see it again. As for Mars wearing a dress, he wouldn’t push it that far, just getting to buy a dress would be enough for Kit.
But as he considered his plan, he couldn't help but wonder if Mars would truly stand by him or if it was just an empty gesture. Kit nervously waited for Mars' response, expecting him to refuse. But instead, he was surprised by what Mars said next.
"I'll get a fancy dress to match yours," Mars replied with genuine kindness.
"I'm sorry too, Kit. I forgot about the deadly fish in the river. Did you lose someone close to you?" Kai asked sympathetically.
Kit didn't want to bring up his father again, so he just nodded. “What are death fish?” He figured Kai had brought them up for a reason, so he wanted to know more about them.
"Those fish in the river are known as death fish, but they are actually called corpse fish. They have a unique power to stir up memories of losing someone dear and feed off the sorrow and anguish that follows. To feed, they draw out painful recollections of their victims' loss, trapping them in a state of helplessness. While trapped in this nightmarish state, the death fish slowly drain their life energy without their awareness." Kai relayed this information to Kit.
Kit's spirits lifted slightly when he discovered that his breakdown was caused by a fish. He didn't want to develop a fear of crossing rivers, it would restrict his movement around the Fornax continent.
He hoped there was a solution to ward off the fish so he wouldn't have to resort to wearing women's clothing every time he came across a bridge.
Kit turned to Kai with a pleading look in his eyes. "Is there anything I can do to prevent or lessen the effects of the deadly fish?" he asked.
Kai's expression was apologetic as he replied. "No, nothing has been found to be effective against them yet. But if you keep moving, they won't be able to consume your life force." He suggested that Kit ride across the bridge next time on Pint instead. “it may not stop the memories from resurfacing, but it could save you from death.”
Kit sighed but still thanked Kai, he at least had a plan for dealing with the death fish now. Now all he had to do was build a bond with Pint so he could ride him.” Kit looked over at the massive horse, wondering if his plan of bribing the animal with alcohol would work.
"Kit, are you sure you’re okay to leave for Flower Field town?" Mars queried as Kit stood up ready to leave.
"I'm fine now, Mars. It turns out my emotional breakdown was caused by a fish. At least we know what to do next time," smiled Kit.
"Kit, you were very brave to face your fears head on." Mars nodded in agreement as Kai spoke up. "It took a lot of courage to step onto that bridge after such a traumatic experience. Even the strongest person can falter when confronted with their memories."
As Kit received the kind words, he felt a sense of comfort and warmth filling his chest. This game was exactly what he needed; it showed him that true friends could be supportive. Up until now, Kit's life had taught him not to trust anyone except for Kat.
“I don’t think I could have handled that situation as calmly and bravely as you did. You really are incredible, Kit.” Mars' expression was filled with admiration.
This was the first time anyone had ever admired Kit like this, and he wasn't sure if he deserved it. He couldn't forget how he had vomited in front of everyone earlier, only making it through thanks to the bracelet Kit had given him. Kit couldn't help grimacing at the thought.
"Let's continue our journey, shall we? I'm eager to see what other towns have in store for us." Kit wanted to move on from this experience, besides he was excited to explore a new place.
The three of them turned towards Flower Field town.