last time, the girl didn speak any numbers, we were randomly transported to this island. ”
”And, since we don know any numbers, the next time we might end up inside a volcano, ” said Zoey, ”Well, that is all well and good, but what about Food, that long explanation only made me hungrier. ”
Suddenly, Noa woke up and got on her feet. She looked around, as if making a head count. When finished, she nodded to herself and proceeded towards the centre of the island.
”Noa, what are you doing? ” asked Zoey.
Noa ignored the question, and crouched on the ground. She moved the soil, waving her palm over the ash. Then, she got on all fours, and started digging.
”Ew, ” said Jack, when Noah started putting ash in her mouth.
”And, I thought your ideas were bad, ” said Will.
Zoey rolled her eyes.
”Shouldn we stop her? ” asked Jack.
”Yes, go ahead, ” said Ayu as she whipped her phone out of her pockets and started recording Noah.
”You have your phone! ” exclaimed Zoey, then checking her pockets, ”I have my phone. ”
”Does it have a signal? ” asked Will, checking for his own.
”Yes, ” said Zoey, dialling a number ”You guys stop her. ”
Will and Jack tried to, but Noah pushed them away. They looked askance at Ayu, who was still recording the incident, as if asking for orders.
”Be harsh, but stop her. She will get sick, eating that shit, ” ordered Ayu.
And as if to provide evidence to Ayus statement, Noah, started vomiting, just some metres away from where she had been digging a minute earlier. Bile pouring out of her mouth, along with the hideous ash. Zoey and the boys rushed to help her, but she was done vomiting. And, continued digging and swallowing ash, back at her original site.
She stopped quickly afterwards. Something shiny appeared, where she had been digging. A white metallic rod started rising from the ground. And when most of it had emerged, a silver curve – on either side – indicated the presence of blades. When fully out of the ground, an axe was revealed.
The others stood dumbfounded and even Ayu looked over her device, to verify whether her phone had gone haywire, or if an axe had actually arisen from beneath the ground.
Noah, placed her left hand on the axe and placed the other one on the ash rotten ground.
The ash started to rise, as if collected by the sky. The sea contributed, growing bluer by the second. And, there was a peculiar sound related to it, but with more stringent focus, one could hear someone humming, humming a song no mortal ears had the pleasure of listening to in years. It was beautiful. Eventually, a layer of ash obscured the sky. So big, that it covered the world above for miles.
The humming got louder.
Will deduced, there were three people humming the song.
Nothing happened for a few minutes, then Noah looked up and said, ”Come. ”
The ash transformed into a pile of needles, and as soon as all of the ash was converted into pointy ends, the needles rained down on Noah, tearing her skin. The humming didn stop, it only got more melodious. The needles were precise, they didn hurt those close to Noah. Only Noah received the pain. And, there was a lot of pain. She cried out and so did the others. But, the agony in her voice was outmatched. Not that it mattered, the others – and some part of Noah herself – was focussed on the song, enjoying the melody as Noah got riddled with holes.
After it was done, and there was no ash left in the sky, and only Noahs perforated body on the ground, three crowns rose from the ocean. And wearing each crown, was a man, a single man with, three heads and six arms. Taller than William, as regal as a God, more fanciable than Jack, but not nearly as devious as Zoey, the being stood as a miracle, humming that beautiful tune. Two of his foremost arms crossed, while, three of his other four hands closed into fists.
Subsequently, Zoey, Ayu and Jack, flew towards him, stopping behind the deity.
”Which one? ” all three of his heads he seemed to be asking Will, who stood about a mile from him.
Which one?
Will didn seem to hear, he didn even notice the presence of the deity, nor did he pay attention to what happened after the sky fell on Noa. The only thing he noticed was that, Noah was still alive, barely, and she was going to die. He was going to leave her too.
Then, he looked up, at the deity, anger flaring in his eyes. Not caring for the song anymore, he decided that he wouldn be played anymore.
As if a statement had been made, the deity smiled and caught the three children by the scruff of their necks, using different arms. Then, one by one, he threw them all in the sea under him. After this was done, a large bow with a nocked arrow rose from under the water.
Using his previously unused arm, he pulled the bowstring.
Will knew, what was going to happen. He couldn save Kaal, he couldn save Noah, he won be able to save the other three. But he wasn meant to. He had figured out the game. He was going to survive.
The deity released the arrow. Will, closed his eyes and mouthed a word.
He was going to survive, if not anyone else.
And before the arrow hit, I heard a clap
-WILLIAM, THE HERO