Parable of Arcastia: Journey between the dual world

(4) Practicing Pains

"Okay Zaidan, so do you remember the rules?"

"Yeah!"

"Alright then, let's rev it up!" As Cohen dives into the water to take his possession, Zaidan goes over the rules of sub-ball in his head.

Sub-ball is the most popular sport in all of Aquouir.Sub-ball is played with two teams and four goals. The entire game takes place underwater and players are given high tech gear to allow them to play the game with ease. Each player has an oxygen tank that is three inches in length and height. They place it across their face, and it can be used for up to three hours straight. Players are also equipped with special diving shoes that can be used to zip through the water as quick as a marlin-- and as fast as a dolphin.

These shoes have propellers on the soles of them, and they are activated by the kicking the of the heels together, making for the intense speeds the game is known for. Propelling underwater at a remarkable pace is one thing, being properly protecting is another.

The suits that the athletes wear are as tight as any regular diving wear, yet the difference is that their suits are lined with armor; which covers ever inch of their body from head to toe, and the most important part--their eyes. The goggles are the most important piece of equipment a player should need. The goggles work well for zooming in on a far off target, or opponent? With this diving gear, players will surely be able to maneuver with flexibility and vigor while under thirty feet of water.

And the most important part of the gear is the ball. It has several micro-jets all around it. If the ball is smacked the jets react to the force of the impact. The more force, the harder it the jets will work.

Having the right gear for the job isn't enough to play sub-ball. You must understand the rules as well. In sub-ball. The players start a game on one side of the court. There are two teams and four goals. Each team must try to score in either the goal of the other team, or in the for the most point, or take another route and score on the side goals for fewer points.

The number of points received is determined by the strength of the scorer's kick. If they strike the ball hard enough they can score a maximum of twenty points on the side goals and if not they can score entire the midpoint, which is fifteen, or the lowest point of five.

On the opposite team's goal. A team can score up to a maximum of fifty points, a mid score of twenty-five points, and the lowest score is ten. There are four waves, and the winner is the team who is able to score the most points at the end of all four waves combined.

However, there is another way to end the game quickly. By score on the opposite team's goal with the highest impact score four times, that team will become the victors of the game. Being that it is very difficult to do this, it is rare for a team to succeed in doing this, and is why they would much rather score on the side goals. Not every member of the team can score, however. Half of a team is made up of the scores called low halves, which can only use their feet; and the other half is made up of the passers and blockers called top halves, who can only use their hands to pass and block the ball and are unable to score.

With well-prepared gear and knowledge, a sub-ball player is able to swim onto the field with no problem at all. Just like Cohen and Zaidan, who are well familiar with the rules and regulations. And they have been playing the game long enough that the rules have become second nature. This is proof as they move through the water like dolphins, passing the ball to one another.

Cohen smacks the ball over to Zaidan, who then returns it with a powerful kick. Cohen is able to counter it and send the ball hurling back to Zaidan. Zaidan readies himself for yet another successful kick; that is until out of nowhere he begins feeling greatly fatigued.

His vision doubles and his body become heavy. His eyes gently shut as the ball strikes him, and he begins to sink along with the ball.

***

Zaidan opens his eyes wide. Not to his surprise, he is underwater. He is without his oxygen mask, yet he can breathe. He looks around frantically, wondering if what he's feeling is real. Flailing about, due to shock he sees that all of Aquouir is underwater. Examining the sunken city, he notices skeletons of all of Aquouir's citizens. He tries to move over to them to see if what he's observing is actually true. Swimming over to them, he suddenly hears a vocalist's songs floats over to him.

It sounds like a female voice and is mesmerizingly beautiful. Zaidan changes direction and head in its direction instead almost out of his own free will.

Becoming determined to figure out the singer of the gorgeous melody; he follows the sound of her voice. He swims through the flooded streets and across the top of submerged buildings. The further he goes the louder the vocalist song becomes. Eventually, he comes across a strange looking building. It looks as though it had been badly damaged due to time.

It has one broken window and looks like it used to be an old clock tower, and not the more updated looking one that he recalls being in the middle of his town. Gazing past it, he notices that civilization halted there. The song curves through the trees and enters Zaidan's ears. He continues onward and went into the wilderness.

Passing through hundreds of trees he stumbles across a beach, and just across, what would be the ocean, lying on a rock seems to be a girl. Could She had been the one who has been singing? He rushes over to her, thrilled to see that perhaps his dream cycle might be broken if he meets her. As he heads for her, he is soon hampered by a large wave that shoots out of the ocean. It crashes straight down and Zaidan is pushed down several feet. He looks toward the land where the woman is, but he notices something appearing in the distance.

It looks to be the face of an old man, yet he doesn't look all too human. He frowns at Zaidan and holds a strange object high up. He then fades away, as if he is being dissolved into the water. Turning his head straight, Zaidan spots something that frightens him so much that his body locks up.

A large mouth opens wide; the creature is so humongous he can't even see its entire face. The creature opens its mouth wider. It then inhales to try and suck Zaidan in. Zaidan panics and tries to flee but he can't. As he gets closer toward the beast's mouth his heart pounds against his chest at an intense rate until; he flings open his eyes and holds his chest, trying to catch his breath.

"Zaidan!" Yells Cohen helping Zaidan sit up. "Ya okay, bud?" Zaidan nods through a series of coughs. Cohen helps Zaidan stand and continues to support him as he sees Zaidan's legs wobble about. "You okay there bud?"

"Yeah. What happened." Zaidan says as he regains his balance.

"Ya passed out on me."

"I what!"

"Yeah. I think your dreams are getting a bit out of hand."

"Don't worry, just a bit of a lack of sleep is all. I'm fine."

"Ya sure Zaidan?"

"Hundred!" Cohen sighs and shakes his head.

"...Alright, whateva you say. Anyways it's gotten late, you coming?"

"Just go ahead without me, I'll go home in a few."

"Alright...And Zaidan...Be more careful."

"Yeah...No problem." Zaidan says rubbing the back of his head. As Cohen fades from his vision, Zaidan turns to look at the orange sky.

I'm late. If I tell Harkin's why I'm late he'll late me get off scot free...But then he'll be a worry wart forever, and that on top of his cold... Best just take the punishment.

Zaidan's thoughts are suddenly interrupted by the growl of his stomach.

"Well guess I shouldn't go home hungry." Zaidan turns around and heads to an affordable restaurant he knows is open at this time of day.

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