Quack

Yuna's eyes scattered along the floor.

If there were traps, then there was a way for the original creator to figure out how to avoid them. That was the reasoning that led her to notice the small holes that looked like a needle had poked a hole through the calcite arranged into numbers.

Those holes each laid out in a grid-like pattern barely visible to the naked eye. From how Cairo had almost been skewered and the footsteps they had taken into the room, Yuna quietly held in a cough as she pointed to next step diagonal to Cairo.

But he didn't move.

Instead, Cairo seemed to be starstruck staring at whatever was at the distant end of the room. Unfortunately, Yuna was too short to see the same as him.

So she began tracing again. Counting the numbers that reconnected their steps to this room.

Yuna didn't know exactly what mechanism the creator had used for the traps, nor did she know how many free spaces they truly left. But what she was able to garner was that the steps followed the pattern 0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34...

It was the Fibonacci sequence.

Well that was simple enough.

She continued her stride. Her steps growing heavier with each step as she coughed into her hands.

If only she could use her fable, seeing a couple seconds into the future she could detect any danger before it could hit them. But the toil on her body when keeping her fable active was excruciating. So much so, she never has it constantly on. Only when she knows she'd need it.

But now, even if she knew, she was too weak to even try.

Yuna had finally taken the final step, Cairo following close behind her.

'At least he can follow well.'

Transferring her gaze from the man behind her, Yuna's eyes widened as she stared at the statue before her.

The statue that stared at her with six crystalline eyes. It's toothy grin letting two hands unfold from it's mouth.

Right behind it, on the wall laid the writing etched in stone:

HAIL ATLAS. THE CALAMITY BROUGHT BY EARTH'S SIN.

Yuna felt her heartbeat begin to grow more and more erratic as she put one hand on her chest. Yuna bit the nail of her other hand as her pitch-black eyes stared completely engrossed on the statue.

It was different stare from Cairo's though. Not one of surprise, but instead one of dread.

"Just what are doing here..."

———————————————————

Naren's eyes fluttered open with a blunt pain radiating through his head.

"EEEEEEP!"

Naren blinked a couple times. His eyes adjusting to his surroundings as he took in the atmosphere. Blue hazes of insects floating around him.

Then the wind caught his ears as he felt his scarf slowly slip off his ears.

Naren quickly fumbled with his head grabbing the crimson fabric before it blew away. Safely wrapping it around his neck before he finally felt at ease.

At first he noticed how much warmer it was now. His body finally being able to feel again, Naren had nestled his neck into his scarf.

It was only then did he feel the immense pit in his stomach that could only grow from falling. Whipping his head around Naren saw a deep cavernous underground jungle. Purple foliage latching onto the calcite and limestone walls as trees stretched out towards the underground cavern roof.

Yet everything was still so far below them. So far.

"WHAT'D I DO!"

"WHAT'D WE DO!"

Naren looked down to see a familiar girl in beanie, her blue eyes staring back at him as her brown hair swept around in a wild frenzy while she held tight to his legs.

"YOU! WHAT'D YOU DO!"

"I DON'T KNOW! I THOUGHT YOU WERE A MONSTER AND NOW! I CAN'T DO THIS!"

Naren began shaking his leg vigorously.

"MAN GET OFF ME!"

"NO PLEASE!"

Naren had finally flung the girl free off his leg, watching her fling further below him from the momentum.

He was a little giddy, getting payback for her punching him. It was a while since he was even with someone. He had to hold himself back with the princess and the candle after all.

Then, his eyes widened as he watched the girl's thin windbreaker unfold and unfurl into several layers of a thin fabric that spread out into a parachute of sorts.

His face was forced into a sheepish grin as he pulled on his crimson scarf. Why did all these people have to be useful in some way. Why couldn't they just be expendable.

"Get off me!"

"Look look, I'm sorry about earlier. I just overreacted you know. Oh I'm terrified of heights."

"shut up!"

Naren's voice grew stuffed as the girl shoved her other foot at his cheeks trying to pry him off her feet.

"Rook jusht ah riddle ronger"

The two slowly fluttered down as Naren continued to hold onto the girl's sneakers as she continued kicking and flinging her leg in an effort to dislodge him. But he held on tight, being sure not to cause too much commotion as to tear the parachute.

Soon they finally landed on the ground with the girl continuing to swing her arms around him in a erratic whirlwind of violence. Naren's body weaving and ducking as he tried to get his words out.

"Look look, we can go our separate ways now. Let's just say you helped a poor guy out. What a great girl you are!"

"Just get hit you creep!"

"Come on, you're being a bit unreasonable."

Naren hopped out of her range as he grabbed onto a tree branch and pulled himself onto the tree. His feet dangling just out of range as he started mocking the girl.

"Look at you. So full of anger."

He waved his tongue out as he made faces at the infuriated girl at the base of the tree. Until suddenly, she ran at the tree shoulder bumping it.

Naren assumed it would do nothing, but to his surprise the entire tree shook violently as a very unwelcome creaking began screeching from the base as the tree feel over itself, dumping Naren on the ground along with it.

The girl cornered Naren, her hair in a rough tangle as she lurked closer.

"Let's talk first you monster."

What the hell was up with her. She seemed to have some kind of superhuman strength if she was able to just knock over a tree that easily. Though Naren was already pivoting his foot under him. He noticed her right shoulder was raised and held forward.

One more step and he'd duck under her swing, wrapping his leg around her neck before using the momentum to snap it. That is if she keeps up these antics. He didn't have time to worry about this random, he had to find Yuna...And Cairo.

But the very next second she stopped as the ground began to rumble slightly.

The girl's eyes widened as her face completely contorted from a scowl to a one of utter despair and fear. Her limbs shook as she fell atop Naren.

She grabbed him into a tight embrace from the side, burying her face in his arms as she began quivering all of a sudden.

"Get rid of it! The monster!"

The ground continued shaking as Naren wondered what was wrong with this crazy lunatic.

Trees in the background began to fall with a veracious tear as leaves violently rustled in the quaking.

Then a singular large shadow filled Naren's vision. Looming over him, it must have reached at least ten meters. It's features shrouded in darkness as he felt the piercing gaze of the beast.

Naren waited, his limbs locked as he anticipated the beast's next move.

Then it spoke.

"Quack!"