As I walked to my room, I looked at my phone, searching for something relaxing to listen. I was suffering a really bad headache and despite I took some painkillers, I needed some sleep. Maybe I've spent too much time researching on the Dragon's Triangle and should have rested a little... It could also be due to the terrible weather from outside. No matter what, it was clear I needed some sleep. Suddenly I noticed someone getting on my back and gave a sigh.
"Hey Sam." - I said simply as she got off me.
"I think someone is in bad mood."
"My head hurts and I need some sleep. That's all." - I said while running a hand over my face.
·Perhaps that's because you've spent too much time closed in your room reading books."
"Sam, don't start again." - I said giving a long sigh. I wasn't in the mood to argue with her again. Sam was going to protest but suddenly the ship made a shook and both rushed grab onto something.
"Are you okay?" - I asked to Sam after everything clamed down.
"Yes, though that was violent... I think the weather is getting worse."
"Is everything all right out there?" – Both looked behind and saw Eric approaching to us.
Although I had seen him in other expeditions with Roth, we almost always went in separate groups and talked very little. This time we were together again and, despite we met more times in the Endurance, I still knew very little about him. He had short dark hair, light grayish blue eyes and had a black earring on his left ear. From what I know, he was the same age as me, he was tall and had a strong physic. Although I'll never admit this aloud, much less in front of Sam, he was quite handsome.
"We're fine. Though it seems the storm is getting worse." - I said as I looked around a little uncomfortable after hearing another thunder.
"Yeah. The sea is getting really violent and it seems that we will be like this for some time. Be careful."
"Sure. Same to you." - Sam said with a smile. He also smiled and left. When he disappeared, Sam looked at me, still with 'that' smile.
"What?" - I asked when she didn't say anything.
"He's pretty hot."
"So…?" - I said raising an eyebrow.
"Do you know that I've caught him looking at you several times during our meetings with the crew?"
"Sam..." - I was starting to feel tired of her games. Not again...
"I'm just saying maybe you should take the opportunity and talk with him." - She said almost pleadingly.
"See you later, Sam." - I said while walking to my cabin and Sam kept insisting. After entering in my room and closing the door, I took a deep breath and smiled. This girl will never change.
. . . . .
Sam watched as Lara left and sighed as she went to her room. She wanted the best for her best friend and Eric was a very good match for her. Even she would go after him but when she met him for first time, she knew he was for Lara even though she wouldn't try anything.
"These two will end up together. I know it." - She muttered with a confident smile.
. . . . .
(Eric POV)
The ship shook again and I staggered. The storm was getting worse and for some good time I started to have a very bad feeling. Hopefully soon we will get out of that storm and keep moving without problems... Now I think, Roth told me he wanted to talk with me.
As I moved, suddenly I heard a loud thunder and the ship moved violently. I leaned against the wall and looked around. That wasn't good and I the bad feeling became stronger. I moved carefully down the hall and then there was a strong shake that made me hit the wall. I fell to the ground and I winced when I felt a sharp pain in my arm due to the blow. Then I saw that the lights going off and the alarms were activated. Okay, now this wasn't good at all.
I got up and moved quickly. I have to find the others and see that everyone was fine. As I moved, I heard a loud and sharp metallic sound and the boat shook violently. I hit the walls and despite the blows, I forced myself to keep moving forward. As I walked, I saw movement at the end and hurried to go there. Then I noticed another strong shake and after feeling something strange, I looked down. I watched as the ground began to rise and I slowly stepped away. Suddenly the surface sharply broke and I fell backwards. In front of me I saw the boat splitting in two and the other part began to get away. From the large hole I could see the violent storm and the sea violently hitting the ship and water entering inside. With some problems, I got up and stepped away from the hole. I have to go to the other side and the only way to do that was jumping...
"Shit..." – I cursed. I mentally prepared myself to run and then I heard knocks behind me. I followed the sounds and saw they were coming from the door that was leading downstairs. From the small window I saw it was flooded and Lara, who had tried to open the door, was drowning and was going to fall unconscious. Quickly I turned the wheel and opened the heavy door. Then I grabbed her arm and pulled her to me.
"Lara. Lara!" - I called her while softly slapping her cheeks and she coughed. When she recovered, she looked up and I saw relief in her eyes.
"Eric..."
"Come on. We have to move." - I said as I helped her up. Then I heard someone calling us and we looked up. From the other side of the ship I saw Roth festuring us to jump. The part of the ship was moving away but if we hurry, we could get to the other side. Then I looked at Lara and I noticed her fear. - "We can do it."
She looked at me and I still saw she had doubts. Then she closed her eyes and opened them after a few seconds. This time she looked with determination and she nodded. After that, we both ran with all our might and when we reached the edge, we jumped.
(Lara POV)
I was terrified. A part of me thought I was going to die but it was the only way. Eric and I ran with all our strength and jumped once we reached the edge. In that moment, the other part of the ship was leaning down and that allowed me to reach Roth so I reached my arm to get him and he did the same. When I went to fall, he took my hand while with the other he grabbed a tube to keep his balance. I looked next to me and in the middle of the heavy rain I saw Eric trying to grab at something in the broken edge of the boat but his hands were slipping and was about to fall.
"Hold on!" - Roth said and I saw his despair as he wasn't able to help him. Then Eric's hands couldn't hold more and he fell to the sea. Then I saw in panic as my grip was failing and Roth did his best to try to hold me.
"Hold on... Please!" - He said in despair. Then my grip failed and I fell. I heard how he called me and I moved my arms in an attempt to hold onto something.
Then I hit the water. Everything was dark and felt the force of the storm in the sea. I swam up and when I was out, I breathed but then a wave hit me and went back into the water. I didn't know how many minutes had passed or where I was. I could only hear the loud roar of the waves and the thunder that repeatedly flashed around, illuminating the dark sky. After a long time that seemed like an eternity, I noticed that my feet touched the ground and hurried to follow it. When I finally felt I could stand and got out of the water, I leaned and I moved across the sand to get awar. I collapsed as soon as I felt it was safe and I started coughing all the water that I swallowed. God, I was so exhausted... I need to find the others. Then I heard voices and I opened my eyes. I looked around and saw Reyes, Jonah and the others in the distance. I went to call them but then I saw I wasn't alone. The waves dragged someone from the water to the sand and recognized Eric. I knew he was unconscious as he didn't move.
"Eric!" - I called him as I hurried to approach to him. When I arrived, I put my ear on his chest and I didn't hear his pulse. Quickly I began to perform CPR and pressed my lips to his to give him air. Then I repeatedly pressed his chest and I got really nervous.
"Come on. Wake up..."
After giving him air and pressing his chest over and over again, his body shook and began to cough. Quickly I turned his body to the side to help him and I rubbed his back.
"There. That's it." - I said trying to calm him and I felt relieved. While he recovered, I stood up and looked around. This place... Where were we? Suddenly I felt something hitting my head and everything went dark.
(Eric POV)
I didn't know what was happening. I tried to open my eyes several times to see what was happening but my head hurt so much that I couldn't keep them open for much time. I just know that something or someone was dragging me though the ground and I couldn't move.
I remember that after falling from the ship and sink into the water, I tried to reach the surface but I don't know anything about what happened next. I only know that after waking up, my lungs were burning and started coughing water. Also I heard Lara's voice but when I thought I was going to recover, I felt a strong blow in my head. When I woke up again, I felt a strong dizziness and a severe headache. I could hardly keep my eyes open and finally ended up falling unconscious.
When I woke up again, I didn't know how much time had passed or where I was. I just know that my head was hurting like hell and my body was... Wait, something wasn't right. I noticed I wasn't on solid ground. In fact I noticed that I was hanging... from my feet. Suddenly I opened my eyes and nervously looked around. I was hanging from the ceiling and the floor was several meters away from me. I tried to move but I noticed that something was immobilizing me. I struggled with the fabric and then I saw Lara hanging next to me in the same way.
"Lara. Lara! Wake up!" - After calling her several times, she moaned in pain and finally opened her eyes. When she realized the situation, I saw panic in her eyes and then looked at me.
"Eric! What happened? Where...?"
"I don't know where we are. All I know is we have to get out of here somehow. Do you think you can get rid of it?" - After asking her that, she tried to struggle with the same fabric but failed.
"Sorry, I can't do anything."
"There must be a way to get rid of this." - I muttered while looking around. With some effort I managed to look behind me and saw a large sack hanging next to an altar filled with candles. - "I think I have an idea but it's going to get dangerous."
"What have you thought?" - Lara asked and suddenly I started to move and tried to push the other sack. - 'What are you doing!?'
"I want... to burn… that!" - I said I was balancing and I started hitting it. The sack moved to the altar and it started burning. I cursed when I saw it disappearing so fast but then I saw that it had burned a thick fabric that was hanging from a pole that was next. - "Okay, new terrible idea: We have to get to that fire and burn our these fabrics. It's the only way to get rid of them."
"This is going to hurt..." – Lara muttered and I knew she was nervous but she approved the plan.
"I'll do it first." - I started to move again and I leaned toward the fire. I felt the heat of the fire each time I got closer and I did my best to stay calm. When I touched the fire, the fabric began to burn and struggled to free myself.
"Careful!" - Lara warned me while I kept struggling. I moved my arms with all my strength and I finally noticed the grip loosened. Then I moved my legs and finally got rid of the thing. I fell and hit the ground, causing me to lose my breath. - "Are you okay?"
"Yes... give me... a second." - I replied while trying to catch my breath and grimaced at the pain caused by the blow. I struggled to get up and looked up. - "Okay. Your turn. I'll catch you."
Slowly Lara moved to the fire and when the fabric that covered her touched the fire, I heard her cursing and struggling in despair. I saw how she fought and when I saw she was going falling, I got ready to take her. When she fell and got close, I took her but the force of of her fall caused me to fall as well. When I hit the ground, I felt a sharp pain in my side and cried.
"SHIT!" - I cursed as my body arched because of the pain.
"Are you okay?" - Lara rolled got away from me and looked at my wound. After calming down for a second, I sat down and saw an iron was stuck just above my waist. Lara touched the area to examine it and I hissed. – "It seems that it hasn't hit any vital organs but we have to remove it."
"Okay... Do it." - She carefully grabbed the end of the iron and looked at me. I nodded and she started pulling. I clenched my jaw really hard to keep mysef from screaming when I felt the pain was getting intense and then she pulled out the iron. I couldn't take it any more and let out a cry as I fell to the ground and arched my back because of the sharp pain.
"Easy, easy." - Although the pain was still intense, I calmed down for a bit and tried to get up but I stumbled and Lara grabbed my arm. - "Can you walk?"
"Y-yes. Let's go." - I said feeling a little dizzy but I shook my head and forced myself to move. Lara passed my arm around her shoulders so I could support myself on her and both moved through the only way forward. We were in what looked like the inside of a cave and it was very narrow and full of debris. We passed to a larger area where there was a strong disgusting odor and saw something that left us pale.
"That's... shit..." - I muttered when I saw the body of a man hanging in front of an altar, like a sacrifice.
"Oh god, no... no, no... Let's keep moving." – Lara muttered really nervous. We moved quickly around the room, trying not to look at the body but then I noticed the place was full of remains of bones and skulls. - "What is this place?"
"A place from someone who lost his mind." - When we moved into the next passage, Lara took a torch that was hanging on the wall and we kept going. With the fire, Lara destroyed a barricade that was blocking the way and kept moving forward. Then we heard something in the background and both stopped.
"Did you hear that?"
"Yes. It must be the one who has brought us here."
"Hopefully he or she didn't hear us."
We went through a narrow passage to get into another room but we found the way blocked by another barricade.
"Damn. There's no way out." - I said looking around for something that could help us.
"Wait. I have an idea."
Lara went to a platform where a staff wrapped with cloth and a wooden totem. Lara burned the totem which burned the cloth and then I noticed the barrel of gasoline that was at the end of the mast and was next to the barricade. Smart girl. Lara went down quickly and told me to cover. Then the barrel exploded and the explosion cleared the truck.
"Let's go." – Lara said as she rushed forward and both went on our way. We saw that the only way forward was a narrow tunnel that was starting to sink and we hurried to pass it. Since I was injured, Lara let me go first and then she followed me. Suddenly a man appeared behind her and grabbed one of her legs.
"Get off me!" – She cried as she tried to struggle and I rushed to help her.
"Hey! Let her go now!" - I said while taking her arm and I started kicking that asshole. Lara also hit him and finally we were able to send him away. I dragged Lara through the tunnel and just when we came to the other side, a huge rock fell and blocked the path to the enemy. We listened as he called us and both gave a relieved sigh.
"Are you okay?" - I asked as we recovered.
"Yes. Thank you."
We moved down the narrow hallway and then we found a flooded passage. This time I pointed Lara to advance first and we moved with some difficulty until we reached solid ground again. We passed a waterfall and the torch was turned off.
"Not now." - Lara cursed.
"We'll find a way to turn it on." - Then we entered to another flooded room and I realized that the tide was moving the water. - "We have to find a way out of here. Maybe we can take advantage of the tide in some way."
"Let's see what we can do."
We walked down the cave and saw a platform that rose above and a forklift that was hanging from the ceiling but that was tied to the ground by two posts. While Lara lit the torch thanks to a lamp, I destroyed the posts and the lift rose up. Then I saw that the structure was connected to a grid that was in the water and collected the debris from the sea. Then I saw that the only way out was blocked by barrels of gasoline along with some giant mines and I had an idea.
"This can get very dangerous but I have an idea. I want you to jump the lift and use your own weight to make the grid rise and pull the debris inside that cage."
"Okay."
She gave me the torch and went up through the platform to jump to the lift. After several seconds, the debris, collected by the grid cage, fell. While Lara went back to the water, I approached the torch to the debris and it started to burn. I pushed the cage and it threw the debris to where the mines were. Quickly I went with Lara and both went to cover from the huge explosion. I saw that it caused a big hole on the wall and I saw light in the distance.
"Come on!" - I took Lara's hand and dragged her towards the opening while the whole place started to fall apart. Just when we were going to follow that exit, a large rock fell and blocked the passage. - "Damn it!"
"There's another one!" - Lara pointed to the other side and I followed her.
Both ran with difficulty into the other exit but suddenly the ground shook violently and sank under our feet. Lara and I fell down to a narrow tunnel and crashed against branches and debris until we reached solid ground. With some problems, we got up and kept running to the only way forward and I saw the walls were collapsing. Old shipwrecks fell and smashed the ground and we were forced to use our reflexes to jump at the right time to avoid to fall into the void. When we were on safe ground, a huge rock started to slowly falling to the ground and we hurried.
"We have to pass before it falls!" - I told to Lara and both rushed to crawl and move as fas as we could to the other side. Then the mad man from before reappeared and grabbed Lara's leg.
"Let me go, you bastard!" - Lara yelled as she kicked him and I, after seeing the rock was leaning over us, I pulled her with all my might to the other side. Then, wjust as the rock was going to hit the ground, Lara finally got rid of him and the man was crushed to death before he could follow us.
With no time to assimilate what just happened, we ran with all our strength through the cave that was violently shaking. Then we jumped to into the final tunnel that went up and we held at anything we could. I saw that Lara had serious problems holding her grip and slid down. Just as she was about to fall, I dropped the torch and grabbed her hand in the last second. Both watched as the torch fell to the void but there was no more time to lose.
"Come on!" - I pushed my arm up to rise Lara and she grabbed onto something. Both dragged ourselves up as fast as we could and the light from the end was the only one that allowed us to see. Then we saw a huge rock falling down and both rushed to go aside to dodge it. We moved again and suddenly a rock fell in front of us and I quickly grabbed Lara's waist and dragged her aside. After that, we climbed again and saw that the exit was getting closer but each time it was getting smaller.
"Fast!" – I cried and both made a last effort to reach the top. When we were a a few meters away away from the light, we jumped there and crawled across the floor. Gasping, both saw that we were out and collapsed while we felt relieved.
"Thank god..." - I muttered between gasps. Both were dirty, exhausted, bruised and, in my case, I had an ugly wound. But what mattered is we're alive. After several minutes recovering, Lara stood up and helped me to get up.
"Are you okay?"
"I feel like shit but I'm alive." - I said with a small smile but I winced as I felt another sharp pain from my wound. - "What about you?"
"I suppose I could be worse so I can't complain." - Then we both looked at the landscape that we had in front of us. We were on a cliff and saw at the bottom large rocks with shipwrecks from different centuries, plane crashes...
"Where are we?" – Lara asked while frowning.
"I don't know but something tells me a lot of people has been trapped in this place." - I said while looking at the storm that hit us before and getting away. In that moment I couldn't imagine that we were going to live the most dangerous and impossible adventure of our lives.