The Fractured World 5 by David Aries

Author:David Aries [Aries, David]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2021-03-31T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter 19

As soon as Faris managed to get her fortunately undamaged breathing apparatus back up and working, we set off with DD taking the lead. It didn’t take more than a couple of minutes for us to weave through the overgrown labyrinth and emerge on the shore of a lake just as vile as its surrounding environment.

Akko pointed ahead. “Look!”

It was hard not to. There was no missing the metal spire sprouting from the lake’s center, rising into the sky.

“It’s really a ship,” Faris said.

“Just as promised,” I replied.

“Down to the last detail. It’s definitely a Grade-4.”

Yeah, there was no doubt this ship was bigger than The Glorious. Standing before it made me feel a fool for forgetting how gargantuan it was. Then again, my first impression of it came when I was choking to death on fumes. That’s not exactly the best state for remembering small details.

I tried calling The Core to give everyone the good news, but all I got back was static.

“Never mind,” I said. “For now, let’s focus on getting inside.”

Faris gulped. “You mean… going in there?”

I grabbed her hand. “Don’t worry, I’m with you. We’ll go together.”

She nodded with the aura of a delicate child hanging around her… while squeezing with enough force to make my bones creak.

“The entrance should be… this way,” Akko said, leading us into the lake’s murky depths.

It was like swimming through a giant diluted bowl of cream soup filled with monstrous chunks too hideous to exist in clear water.

If I had to guess its actual flavor… I’d go with ‘toxic waste spill’.

The bubble stopped me from finding out for sure while my night vision did its job and punched through the darkness, keeping track of Akko. She was moving at a steady pace I could have matched if one of my hands hadn’t been busy.

It guided Faris’s movements, keeping her moving ahead.

“That’s it, you’re doing it,” I said.

With each stroke, the fear sapped from Faris’s expression. Her stature grew bolder as her lips curled into a proud smile.

I knew she had this.

“How are you coping, DD?” I asked, glancing back.

She was… further back than I’d expected, utilizing a technique best known as an ‘awkward’ doggy paddle.

“I must confess I am finding this exercise more difficult than I thought I would,” DD said.

“Take your time,” I replied. There was plenty of nasty stuff within my extended view, but nothing I was scared to face.

Akko stopped dead and swiveled around. “But, sweetie! If we take too long, the… ‘you-know-what’ might find us.”

“If it’s still here. Remember, it’s been a year. For all we know, it’s succumbed to old age and—”

A distant roar cut through the lake.

My goosebumps stood to attention.

You’ve got to be kidding me…

From the lake’s deepest depths emerged a gaping tooth-filled mouth attached to a serpentine monster that looked like it ate Grade-3 cruisers for breakfast.

“Leviathan!” Akko squealed.

Our old friend raced toward me and Faris, maw ready to swallow us whole.

I pulled my herix lover behind me and readied my

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