An Alter of Time

Chapter 3

Sabertooth

I woke up inside a cavern and tried to get out. It's too dark and I almost can't see. I held on to the wall to keep me guided. The eerie feeling this cave gave me, sent me chills.

"Okay, be brave Alisa!"  I kept on walking. I almost got lost but thankfully I got outside the cave safe and in one piece. "Great!"

The freezing weather almost froze me to death.

I walked, walked and walked, not minding my really red nose and freezing hands. I shivered more when a strong wind blew. I thought it was nothing but when I looked up, I called all the gods and goddesses to keep me alive.

My eyes widened and panic ran through me that I started to run. I ran for my life. "Good saints, please don't bury me in the snow to suffocate!"

The thick snow on the ground didn't really help. It made me run like a turtle! God, help me! I tripped and fell again, but when I saw a cliff, I immediately jumped to it.

The fall made me dizzy, falling isn't really my thing. I'll never do this again. The fall didn't hurt much, thanks to the thick snow beneath me. I sighed. I almost died. "I survived." I whispered to the wind.

Then it hit me, "I SURVIVED." I exclaimed and immediately stood up.

I almost slid into this slope, I'm glad no one saw that.

I kept on walking. I needed shelter, like a really warm shelter. I'm freezing here! I saw a structure and my heart leaped.

"A shelter!" Thank you, good gods.

As I went near the structure, my smile dropped. It's made of ice. So much for a 'warm' shelter. The ice structure, or whatever you call that, is marked with a sabertooth's face.

The structure is guarded with mammoths and, of course, sabertooths.

I got curious, what is with this ice thingy? What's inside?

I walked near the structure but as I was about to step, a hard thing hit me and everything went black. I saw stars, believe me.

I remembered the same experience in the office, I was knocked out too. My lips opened and my vision was blurry. "Where am I?" Shoot! Did I get caught?

My thoughts were silenced when I saw guards around me and some leader-ish sabertooth. A guard went to the 'leader' and said something I couldn't understand, all I understood was that this leader's name is Fanai-e.

I believe that this Fanai-e or whatever his name is, is the superior here. I examined his features. He was hideous and sabertooth-ish. I only got back to my senses when Fanae-I confronted me. I wouldn't say I was startled, really. What startled me was when they thought I was a gift from the heavens.

Goodness gracious! The guards and almost everybody in this icy thingy served me and treated me fair, but I had to serve 'his majesty' and when I say 'his majesty', I mean Fanae-i.

The good thing though is that they trusted me. I didn't even do anything yet they trusted me. This is so weird!

As I was wandering around this really huge structure, my eyes caught something. Something that seems to be more valuable than anything in this building.

"It's the shard! Wait—is it?" I went closer and examined it. "Holy cow!" It's the same shard from the last dimension.

I think this is gonna be a piece of cake. I smirked. I got their trust easily and from what I remember, they think that I'm the 'gift' from the heavens. "This is easy." I said proudly.

I walked to the superior, Fanae-i. I need to sell this plan of mine. I bowed, a sign of courtesy.

"Superior", that's what they call him here,

"I was sent here to get something. The heaven has ordered me to redeem the shard." Is that believable? I don't know- I didn't know that it would be this easy! I thought they would doubt me or something.

These creatures are indeed gullible. I bowed. Indicating that I'm thanking them. I can't help but be proud of myself.

"I would have to return now, your majesty." I hope they'd let me outside freely. I need to say more so that I can get out.

"The heavens have offered me limited time here in this place, your majesty. The gods wouldn't be pleased knowing that I'd extend my time, I'm afraid I have to leave now." I added. Please let me go.

The superior nodded and I extend some amount of force from jumping and running my heart out of this place. "It was a pleasure meeting you, your majesty."

I bowed to him and to the guards. I walked casually out of the place. I was two kilometers away from the structure when I heard thuds.

I thought it was a calamity again but my eyes widened and my heart pounded in horror as I watch a battalion of guards and the other allies of Fanae-i chasing me. I shrieked.

I ran quickly. I almost tripped but I have to keep going. The ice that I'm running on makes things worse. It's slippery. I saw a deep and gigantic ravine.

I closed my eyes and immediately jumped. A piece of the shard fell and I can't believe this will be my 3rd death. Congratulations, Alisa! How many more deaths do you want?