NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 634: X marks
"Just keep the fire off the ground," he reminded himself, conjuring small black flaming arrows. He held them carefully above the ice, feeling the warmth spread through his fingers. The firelight flickered across the frozen terrain, the heat causing a slight mist as it met the bitter cold.
With the arrows illuminating his way, he approached the frozen grove, eyes scanning the frost-covered branches. He spotted something glinting, a dull glimmer buried beneath the ice. A key? He reached out, grabbing a branch and yanking it down, trying to shake the object loose.
Nothing. He pulled harder, the ice cracking beneath his grip, his hand stinging from the cold. With a sharp tug, the branch snapped, shards of ice spraying out. He reached into the mass of frozen needles, his fingers brushing against metal—a key! But as he pulled it free, he felt a sharp pain, like a thousand needles stabbing into his palm.
"Ah!" Ty hissed, jerking back. The key dropped to the ground, skittering across the ice. He clenched his teeth, flexing his numb fingers as he reached for it again. His body protested every movement, the cold biting into his flesh.
Finally, he managed to grab it, holding it up triumphantly. One down, who knew how many more to go. He looked around, scanning the ice for any sign of the door. Nothing. Just white—an endless sea of white. And the drones. Always watching.
He pocketed the key, turning his attention to the next frozen tree. He had to keep moving. Had to keep going. He smashed through the ice, digging through the branches until his hands were numb. Another key. He held it up, breathing heavily, his breath forming thick clouds around his face.
Ty moved from tree to tree, each one presenting a different challenge. The ice was thicker in some places, and he struggled to break through. He summoned more black flame, careful not to let it touch the ground, careful not to let the ice crack beneath him.
He stumbled again, the frozen ground giving way beneath his weight. He barely caught himself, throwing his body backward to avoid another pitfall. The acid bubbled below, angry and alive, before freezing over once more. He cursed, his breath ragged. Every misstep was costing him time—time he couldn't afford to lose.
He continued, grabbing key after key, but with each one, his frustration grew. None of them seemed to fit the lock—there was no lock, no door, no hint of where he was meant to go. It was like a cruel joke. He glanced at the red clock, its numbers ticking away mercilessly. Fifteen minutes left.
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Ty clenched his jaw, his heart pounding in his ears. He had to keep trying. He had to figure it out. He moved toward the far end of the grove, his feet slipping on the ice. He smashed through another layer of frost, grabbing at the branches, tearing them away until his hands were raw.
Another key. He added it to the handful he already had, his fingers trembling from the cold. He had to find the door. There had to be a door. Somewhere. He looked around, his eyes scanning the icy wasteland, searching for any clue, any sign.
The drones buzzed above, their cameras trained on him. Ty glared at them, his frustration boiling over. He wanted to melt them down, to burn them to nothing—but he couldn't risk it. He couldn't risk another crack in the ice.
He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. He had to think. Had to focus. He moved forward, his eyes darting from side to side, searching for anything out of place. The clock was ticking, each second slipping away like sand through his fingers.
Another tree, another key. He added it to the pile, his heart sinking. Ten minutes left. He had to find the door. He had to escape. He looked around, his eyes wide, his breath coming in ragged gasps. The cold was seeping into his bones, his body aching from the effort.
He looked around, his eyes wide, his breath coming in ragged gasps. The cold was seeping into his bones, his body aching from the effort. Suddenly, the ground beneath him shifted. Ty stumbled, feeling the earth pulse beneath his feet, almost as if it were alive.
He barely had time to react before the icy ground erupted, tendrils of frozen earth coiling up like serpents, snapping toward him. He twisted his body, narrowly avoiding a tendril that slashed through the air where his head had been just a second before. His bag, slung over his shoulder, caught in the chaos, splitting open. Ty watched helplessly as his items scattered, many tumbling straight into one of the acid-filled pits that had opened beneath him.
"Damn it!" he cursed, his eyes darting around, taking in the chaotic landscape. More holes were forming in the ice, the acid beneath threatening to consume anything that fell into its depths. He could feel the ground heaving beneath him, the shifting surface working to throw him off balance. He summoned his black flames, desperate to keep from freezing and to fend off the relentless attack from the ground itself.
Flames flared along his arms, giving off an intense heat that kept the cold at bay. Ty jumped back, dodging another tendril, but as he did, the ice beneath his feet cracked. He had no choice but to leap into the air, summoning an arrow of black flame to use as a foothold. He glanced down, seeing a patch of ice crumble away and drop into the acid below, steam rising from the contact.
With a grunt, Ty fired another arrow, the black flames propelling him up and away from the churning acid pits. His eyes narrowed, catching sight of his scattered supplies, most already lost to the corrosive liquid. He saw the glint of his blade, half-buried in the ice, and lunged for it, sliding across the frozen ground. His fingers wrapped around the hilt just in time for another tendril to lash toward him.