Gravity-ay-ay-ay-ay-ay on me♪

Never let me down gently♪

Never lea-lea-lea-lea-lea-leave with me♪

Never let me go no, no♪

Gravity-ay-ay-ay-ay-ay-ay-ay♪

You know the feeling of being in freefall,

The wind pushes up against you,

Feels like the earth outstretching her arms pulling you towards her…

In that moment you stop thinking and your body starts reacting,

If you are scared, you would wave around frantically trying to grip on to nothing,

There is nothing there,

What are you trying to grab?

If you enjoy it, you would spread your arms wide like a bird, absorbing the breeze as it brushes past you, grinning from ear to ear or screaming

“Woooooo!”

No one is hearing you,

Why are screaming?

If you are like me, how would you act?

…..

I just let myself fall, back-first,

No pattern in my movements, just mindless falling….

“Kage, try to catch this!” I hear Apollo’s voice instructing me to do something,

I see a sword falling pommel-first behind me

(Catch it?

What for?—)

oomph!

The sword falling faster than me hits me like a rock into my stomach all the air release from my body in an instant,

Still, I manage to get a hold of the grip and….

(I’m not falling anymore?)

The sword floats in midair supporting my weight, it flies back to Apollo and the others who have already made it past the steep mountain side, back on a safe path…

Looking at the mountains from this view….

It doesn’t seem natural...

……..

“Be careful next time!” Lyra scolds but I can see the worry in her eyes,

Karina rushes in and surprisingly hugs me,

She doesn’t say anything.

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“How did you do that with the sword?” I look at Apollo then to the blade

“I’m not exactly sure,

All I can say is that old man Shiki’s words stuck with me,

What he said about requiems,

You feel them,

Instead if thinking I just felt,

I poured my feelings on wanting to somehow save you into the sword,

Then something in me instinctively felt like throwing it,”

“Hmmm,

So, what happen would happen if it nothing happened, I died, and you lost a sword?”

“Stop being negative Kage, I had faith I would get back the sword,”

“….

Ok then how about if I do this…”

…

“Hey!”

I toss the sword back over the edge of the mountain,

It floats back up to Apollo hands who looks at me disapprovingly

“What?

I was testing it,”

“…” Apollo frowns

……

“We should camp here for now and continue on tomorrow,” Karina suggests

“Here does seem like a good area,” Apollo nods surveying the surroundings,

“Any idea why the Bakufu people say it isn’t possible to survive here?” Lyra brings up,

“We have been doing pretty well,

Well except Kage,”

“Maybe there are strong beasts up there,

Or even worse...

Beastmen!” Apollo tries to sound frightening

Lyra gives him a blank look,

“I wish there were beasts, actually,” Karina sighs

“I still have this bladed fan from the chief, and I’ve recently started to understand how to use my magic better offensively,

I would’ve liked the practice,”

“Do you not hear any creatures close by?” I ask folding out a rug on the rock floor,

“The only thing I’m picking up is the wind and occasional splashing,

At least we know there is a spring nearby,” Karina uses some fire magic stones to create a small blaze,

“Hmm, A spring huh...”

“What do you suspect water now Kage?” Lyra probes teasingly, she ruffles into her sack taking out some metal pots which she places on the fire,

“No,

I’m just.

I don’t know,”

“Did you get the sense knocked out from that fall?” Apollo jokes pouring some water in the pot, he then produces a decent sized pack of rice which he pours in,

“I did not,” I reply indignantly,

“When I was being carried up by your sword, I got a good view of the mountain,

It looked more like a giant wall to me,”

“If that was the case then we wouldn’t be able to climb it” Lyra disputes her eyes still down in the sack as she rummages through, looking for the right ingredients to use,

“It could have deteriorated over time, that could explain why these slopes are so unforgivingly steep at times then suddenly all crumbly like this path we are on now,”

“One theory at a time Kage,” Karina rubs my back

“Now come help us set up our meal……”

………

****

Eeriness, an atmospheric feeling that, gives one a cold shiver, or a soft uncomfortable vibration.

One that says:

‘This is weird,’

Or

‘Something isn’t right’

Why do we have this feeling?

It’s like a preset alarm in our minds that warns us of danger,

Depending on the circumstance it could be a good thing, or a bad one,

Bad you say?

How can it be bad?

If we no longer feel that way then most of us would do more daring activities,

Not so?

You wouldn’t be reluctant or scared, even if you were about to die,

Would you enjoy it, then?

…….

…….

“Maybe the danger of this mountain was overhyped,” Apollo comments

We finally near the top and disappointingly there hasn’t been anything even remotely interesting.

“Can’t wait for the trip down,” I sarcastically add,

…..

Clink!

My foot knocks on to something metallic,

…..

It’s a part, of something,

(A….

What’s that word?...

It’s coming to me,

A drone part!?)

I pick up the drone piece, examining it,

It’s old and rusted most likely been here for years

(How did this get here?)

“Why is the ground so sooty?” Lyra observes,

She’s right the rocky floor is unnaturally pitch black and dusty,

“Was there a fire here I wonder,” Karina theorizes,

I spy a few more pieces of junk scattered about,

A weird feeling wafts over me, not quite sure what it is,

“Huh what’s those?” Apollo who had been leading the group points

…..

“Get back!” I bark as I see what he is pointing at,

Protruding from the rocky ground are the ‘eyes’ of a camera

The lenses remain trained on us

(I don’t like this)

That feeling I feel…

This is eerie.

Beep!