Fortnite: Island

Chapter 4: Old Places and New Faces

With their new friends Mothy and Raz in tow, Drift and Lynx finally decided to make some progress. Lynx taught Drift how to make a knife, as she promised (so the group now had two knives between them) and then they packed up and prepared to move out.
Their end location? The large volcano-like structure that stood, dormant, up north. Drift had always found volcanoes interesting - even the one on the original island. This one was even more interesting, as Mothy had mentioned that he could see part of a city inside of it.
It turned out that Lynx and Raz shared a special bond - one that involved a hell of a lot of talking. They talked about their favourite flowers, favourite bread types, favourite cat and favourite dog types, how many bones they'd broken in their lives and a whole load of other random topics.
Drift walked beside Lynx, listening to the conversations but never once contributing to them. On the contrary, he remained silent, staring at the local fauna. His favourite he'd seen so far was a sort of very small sugar cane.
As well as studying the fauna, he also looked at Mothy, who had managed to find a camera in a chest and was taking photos of bugs and certain plants. Drift wondered why the ever-talkative young man had gone silent. It was like he was carrying out an investigation, but there was nothing to investigate, right?
During a particularly riveting conversation about what was the best way to cut a slice of bread into sandwiches, Drift decided that it was time for a break.
"Aww, come on, but we're halfway there!" Raz complained.
"More than that!" Lynx backed him up.
"You, too?" Drift sighed.
"Yes. Come on - we can rest when we get there!"
Drift looked apprehensive, but he didn't have to worry about that for long, because Mothy had emerged from the brush.
"Hey, Raz? Let them have a break; I want to show you something."
"What is it?" Raz asked.
"Let me show you."
Drift found it mildly alarming that Mothy had emphasised those words, and glanced at himself and Lynx at the same time. He felt even worse when Raz nodded and ran to join him. Something was wrong, Drift was sure of it. And then they were alone.
Or at least they though they were.
"Psst!"
Lynx armed her shotgun, which apparently was like a pump. Drift took out the dagger and poised it. They weren't ready to take any chances.
"Don't shoot!"
Drift was pleasantly surprised when Shanta emerged from behind a tree, her hair as glossy as ever. Drift noticed that she had freshly painted her nails a striking black.
"Oh, Shanta! You scared us!" Lynx gasped.
She grimaced at the comment, "Sorry. I came to tell you that The Foundation has been noticed by one of the IO assassins and has had to go into hiding. You've been transferred to another member of the Seven, who'd like to meet you promptly at..." Shanta looked at her hand as if she was quickly reading something and then returned to looking at the pair, "Sanctuary."
"Where's that?" Drift asked.
"Southwest from here." Shanta answered.
"We're going to head up to that volcano place, and then we'll head straight there." Lynx explained.
"Right. Be quick, won't you? Good luck, agents." Shanta nodded and ran into the bushes nimbly.
"Wait! Who are the... and she's gone. She's a fast one, isn't she?" Lynx sighed frustratedly.
Raz and Mothy re-emerged from the overgrowth. Raz brushed a leaf out of his hair and turned to face the pair. Mothy pulled the camera out of his pocket and once again began to go around, taking photos.
Lynx began, "What was-"
"Mothy found a moth. I didn't know you could find them here! Anyway, are we rested up? Let's go!" Raz cut her off.
Oh, something was definitely up with those two. It could've been to do with the moth, as Raz had said. Or maybe it was the berries. Or Mothy had been doing an investigation after all, and they had a bigger plan, that involved the volcano.
So, Lynx and Raz went back to talking about whatever was going on in their lives, Mothy went back to taking pics and Drift strolled along, listening to the conversations but never once contributing to them.
"I can see it!" Lynx called.
"Oh, wow..." Mothy breathed.
It was crazy. Like the heavens had reached down and attempted to nab a bit of hell to take as a souvenir. Drift wondered what the volcano would've looked like if it was still active. Maybe this one erupted like the one on the first island? It looked especially nice in the orange evening sun.
"Should we set up camp there?" Drift asked.
"Sounds good to me." Raz nodded.
"And me! We can get a good look around." Lynx shouted, and then added quietly to Drift, "And maybe we can see this Sanctuary place too."
"Of course." Drift whispered back.
And that was the moment Mothy stopped taking photos, "Come on then, let's move!"
So they hiked up the mountain. It took forever, but eventually they reached the top. And there was the city. And there was the island. There was the grassland biome which they found themselves in, but there was also a winter wonderland, and a desert biome which spread along the south of the island. And... And...
"Is that Sunny Steps?" Drift asked.
"It is!" Mothy looked simply joyous.
Raz looked perplexed, "What's up with you?"
"IT'S THE ISLAND!"
"We're aware."
"No, I mean the island; the original one! Sunny Steps! Volcano! And from here you can even see the Loot Lake lake!"
"He's right!" Lynx gasped.
"I've been taking photos of the local animals, and even that matches!" Mothy squealed, "IT IS! WE'RE HOME!!"
"What a lovely surprise." Drift smiled, looking at the Loot Lake lake fron the top of the mountain.
"I'll set up camp." Raz quickly scrambled to make up base.
Gunshot.
Drift would never have excpected it. The moment was so happy; so perfect. But when Raz fell to the floor, clutching a bullet wound in his gut, the moment was over. Next, there was a flash of ginger hair, and the distinctive sound of a punch, and Lynx was down too.
Aura had come to town.
"Hello, boys." Aura gritted her teeth in a hideous smile.
Aura was an infamous killer. She went by many names. The Ginger Killer. The Winter Hunter. Sweaty Aura. Or, simply, Her. As in, oh not Her. Anyway, Aura was not to be missed in killer territory. She had no teammates. Only enemies. And she learnt every gun that was added to loot rotations in minutes.
So, it was fair when Mothy simply screamed, grabbed Raz, and started to totter down the hill. Drift helped up Lynx and grabbed the supplies which had been set down and ran away himself.
"Oh, not Her!" Lynx spat.
"Just run!" Drift screamed.
In front of them, Drift watched Mothy spray Raz with the last of the Med Mist. Mothy threw the empty can backwards to try and hit Aura, but it didn't even land close. And she only would've caught it.
"Oh no!" Mothy called back, "Heads up! There's a car down there!"
The slick, grey sedan slid down the road and drove to a stop. A brightly coloured head poked out. Drift saw that it wasn't the girl's hair that he was seeing but her hat. The red popped against the grey car.
"Raz? Mothy? Why are you on a mountain?" the girl called.
"Exploring, Skye! Ready the car!" Raz shouted.
The engine revved as the girl prepped to speed on. There were more gunshots from behind them, from a sniper which Drift hadn't seen yet. One of them slammed into Mothy's shoulder blade and blood dripped down his back. He yelped in pain. Drift felt awful and prayed that the girl, Skye, in the car had some Med Mist or a Medpack or something.
"SLIDE!" Skye shouted.
Raz scoffed jokingly, "What?"
"Slide! It's much faster."
"I- ah!" Mothy grunted, "Let's try it."
"Go, Drift!" Lynx pushed Drift over.
Drift instantly went skidding down the rocky surface. He was fully aware that Aura had turned his sights on him now. Flurries of bullets sprayed down on him. It was genuinely terrifying. But Skye's car was in sight.
But he knew. He knew that it wouldn't be long before one of the long, sharp bullets penetrated his flesh. And one did; it went straight through his forearm.
The pain was blinding, like someone was openly trying to cut open his wrist with a dagger. Hard. Hideously. Persistently. It also kind of reminded Drift of a burn, the way it stang, always.
Raz and Mothy made it to the car and Raz slid into the front, Mothy in the back. He rummaged around in the backs of the chairs for some Med Mist. He pulled one out and sprayed his shoulder blade. The green mist looked like pollen in the sunshine.
"Come on!" Skye shouted.
She instantly slammed the door shut as the pair slid in. Drift sighed as he realised that he'd slid himself into the middle seat in the back. Middle seats in cars were normally uncomfortable, and this one was no different.
And they zoomed away. Fast. Skye was certainly a reckless driver. Aura's angered screams echoed in the evening sky.
"So! Anyway, I'm Skye and I'm nice, I promise." Skye looked back for a second and then turned back.
"I'm Lynx! It's great to meet you." Lynx waved.
"I'm Drift." Drift smiled awkwardly.
"Drift, if you need patching up, Matt has the Med Mist." Skye pointed to Mothy, who had once again removed his mask. He was white as a sheet.
After Mothy took a moment to breathe, he pulled himself together and passed Drift the Med Mist.
"Here." Mothy breathed.
"Cheers." Drift sighed as the cool spray healed his forearm.
Raz almost instantly drifted off. Caring for his boyfriend must be a tiring task. Lynx slipped earbuds in and began to listen to music on an MP3 player she had found at some point. Mothy slumped against the door, looking sleepy, and Skye continued to drive down the road like a lunatic.
"I love how everyone is just gone from reality." Mothy breathed, "Heh."
"You sound really sick." Drift furrowed his brow.
"Those berries are coming back in me." Mothy sighed, "And having just been shot doesn't help."
"Maybe you should get some sleep, too?" Skye said, nodding to Raz.
"I don't want to yet."
"...Ok."
Drift didn't say it out loud, but he was worried about Mothy. He was talkative and happy, and then quiet, and now this? Maybe something bad was happening. Drift chose to clear his mind on the matter.
He was also aware that they were going away from where Shanta said that Sanctuary was, and instead they were going north into the winter wonderland area. Drift felt lightly festive, but also quite a bit bummed out. This Seven guy would be really quite angry.
"Do any of you guys want to go anywhere?" Skye asked.
"Hmm... do you know anywhere that does boba?" Mothy asked.
Drift knew that there was even less chance of getting to Sanctuary now, so he shut his mouth and didn't say his opinions.
"There's a town up north called Sleepy Sound that does some. I haven't tried it yet, though." Skye sped up.
"Who calls a town Sleepy Sound?" Mothy laughed weakly.
"Who knows?"
Drift could see in the mirror at the front of the car that Skye was laughing, but that she also looked worried for Mothy, who looked pale. Drift was wondering if Skye should even be driving, when she slammed into a tree.
Lynx's earbuds fell out, Raz jolted awake, Skye screamed and Drift and Mothy both simultaneously jolted forward. For a cold moment, the only noises were the car's occupants panting. Drift saw Raz's cheeks turn red with anger; he was a volcano, ready to erupt.
Skye gulped and looked at the ground, "Guess we're going to have to walk, heh..."

To be continued...