Chapter 52: The Mysteries That Lie Below

On the verge of collapse, Cliff could only watch as his friend continued to be burned alive. His shoulders felt like they had doubled in size, throbbing from fatigue after all of those axe swings. Hardly possessing any control over his breathing, Cliff wheezed in short, quick breaths as his body recovered.

However, it wasn't Cliff’s physique or condition that kept him frozen. It was Ace's terrifying and overwhelming bloodlust. Cliff could sense Ace’s rage oozing into his very being, and the scene of watching him scorch his friend alive as if Blue were skewered meat made Cliff nauseous. Struggling to keep the bread loaf he ate for lunch down, Cliff’s little optimism for Blue's well-being was instantly squashed when Blue’s screams started to die down.

And Cliff was left with one gut-wrenching thought as Blue's suffering came to a cruel end.

Will I be next?

Noticing Ace and Crow were distracted with one another, Cliff ditched the axe and made a beeline for the pond. The crisp, chilly water swaddled his face and frame as he dived in. Cliff’s mind handed control over to his body. Cliff instinctively swam, letting his arms take turns as they sifted through the freshwater, diving deeper into the pond's depths. His soreness seemed to vanish in the water, or maybe, it was just something beyond adrenaline that kept Cliff’s entire body going now.

Not sure how much distance he had created or if he was being followed by those two monsters, Cliff didn't stop swimming. He couldn't, but as he reached the bottom, Cliff spotted something abnormal. Already heading toward what caught his eye, Cliff’s fright was steadily replaced by curiosity as he drew closer.

Recalling the unexplainable change in the pond’s state earlier as he approached a strange item at the bottom of the pond, Cliff remembered thinking about how the water was swirling toward the center. As the blurriness cleared from his vision, a small lid with a metal handle on top settled in before him. Studying the rusty lid that had scraps of copper sheared off the outer rim, Cliff infers.

This must be the center of the lake…

With his body's vigorous-like adrenaline fading away, Cliff is abruptly reminded of his surroundings as the breath he had unconsciously held up until this point was reaching its breaking point. Glancing up at the pond’s surface, Cliff realized there was no possible way he could reach it without his lungs giving out.

Latching onto the handle, Cliff attempted to pry it open as he planted both his feet on the pond floor, but the increased density of the water was making the task exponentially more complicated than it would be on land. After a few more seconds, the last bits of strength that Cliff’s arms brought forth were quickly vanishing. But with his final tug, the lid shifted ever so slightly.

Stolen novel; please report.

Beaming at the tiny gap he had created, Cliff channeled the rest of my focus and strength into my feet. As Cliff slid his shoes between the lid and outer containment, he swiftly finagled the rest of the lid to open up. Suddenly, a wave of energy hits Cliff, and he’s thrown back. The force causes his body to surrender control over his breathing instantly. Cliff starts coughing as he tumbles through the water, a violent rush of water entering his mouth.

When Cliff regains his bearings, he’s unsure how much time has passed. His coughing had ceased, and Cliff's lungs were opened back up as he could feel his chest rising and falling in a familiar rhythm. What felt like fresh air began to replenish his insides, strength, and energy.

Oxygen? How is this possible?

Hiccuping and realizing he was lying on the pond’s floor, Cliff quickly sat up, his eyes darting around to get an idea of his whereabouts and how he survived drowning. What looked like a giant forcefield now glows around him, forcing the lake water back. It was as if Cliff was inside an air pocket, and although he was relieved, he didn't allow himself any more time to rest.

Still hiccuping as his breathing gradually returned to normal, Cliff rose to his feet as he located the lid he had just propped open. Noticing a reasonably large hole had been opened up where the lid once was, Cliff comprehended that the air pocket's epicenter must have originated from this location, as water on the other side of the lid had also been pushed back, a hemisphere-like dome now activated.

His weary legs trenched forward, shells cracked underneath Cliff’s shoes as he walked over to the lid. Peering inside the hole, Cliff discerned what appeared to be a long, cylinder-like tunnel. Focusing on the light emanating from the very bottom of the tunnel, a colorfully designed rug came into view.

His broad upper frame hardly fit into this narrow, cramped channel as Cliff began to climb down. Luckily for him, rows of handles have conveniently been constructed within the interior of this tunnel, making the descent much more manageable. After getting the hang of it after a few rungs, Cliff closed back up the lid he had opened earlier, and a searing tide of water must've crashed back on top of the lid as a loud thumping sound echoed.

Continuing down, Cliff ensured that every movement he made was both secure and safe as he descended deeper. The light glimmering from the bottom made it easier to climb down over time, growing brighter as Cliff went along, which made the rungs easier to spot and step onto. As time passed, water droplets started to drip off Cliff’s drenched clothes, dinking off the metal rungs beneath Cliff as a pleasant, vanilla aroma wafted into his nose.

Eventually, after attempting to place his foot on the next rung and feeling nothing, Cliff realized he’d almost reached the bottom. Letting go of one hand and letting his legs float freely, Cliff carefully turned around and adjusted his body so he could safely drop straight down upon release. After acquiring a favorable position, Cliff confidently let go of the final rung and dropped himself directly into the mystery lying below.