Malak x Cierra (Dark Deception)

Chapter 5: Stranger Sewers (Cierra's POV)

I shuddered as I stepped into the cold sewer water. I hated this nightmare, the "water" was the worse part, but I didn't even know if the ducks would leave me alone.  

I sighed in relief, the doors were already open. Maybe Malak was making this easier for me. 

I started placing the shards down, looking around for any movement from the duckies. It was going to be insanely harder without the tablet to see the alive ducks.

After placing a couple of shards down, I heard the mechanical sound of the ducks, standing up, I glanced behind me seeing the duck standing up.

"Are-Are you friendly?" I asked, waving a little as well.

It quaked, then flicked its long tongue at me, trying to stun me.

"Clearly not friendly," I told myself, running away from the monster as it chased after me, still throwing down the shards.

The duck managed to catch up to me, kicking me, and I fell to the ground. I quickly rolled out of the way as it tried to stomp on my back, pulling myself out of the mucky water. I reached for the pouch of shards, only to realize it wasn't there.

I cussed under my breath, as I still heard the duck chasing me, I needed to lose it then go back for the pouch. 

Running from the duck was a little tiring, but eventually, it stopped chasing me and went back to its neutral state. 

I ran back to where I dropped the pouch, running my hand through the murky water, trying to find it. I heard another mechanical sound the ducks make, one was coming. It almost kicked me, I slid out of the way, but the water made me slip, and I fell in the water again, my hand brushed against something, and I grabbed it, lifting myself out of the water. 

It was the pouch! 

I would have smiled if I wasn't about to throw up, my stomach was turning, I think I swallowed some of the water. I didn't have enough time to think about it, as the duck was still here.

Pulling myself out of the water, I started running again, this time being able to throw down shards this time. 

Eventually, the duck sat down, hiding in its neutral state.  

I dragged my feet out of the water, sitting down, leaning on the wall. My stomach ached from the nasty sewer water. 

"Cierra?" I heard an echo-ish voice say.

"Copper?" I asked

I spotted him walking through the water when he spotted me he ran over.

"Are you ok?" he asked

"Not really."

"Malak sent me to watch you, I didn't know what he meant, so I came to find you." He helped me on my feet. 

"I feel sick." 

"That's the point of the water." Copper sighed, glancing down at it with disgust.

"Come on, how many more shards?" 

"A lot." I sighed glancing down at the pouch. 'I'm still in zone one."

"Wait, Zone 1?"  

"There's the other Zone, with his pet duck." 

"Oh, right...well come on, I guess I can help." 

We both started placing the shards down, with copper around, some of the ducks seemed to not care about me anymore.

After a while, I threw up again, leaning on the wall, trying to stay standing, Copper placing a hand on my shoulder.

"Are you ok."

"I'll be fine, let's finish this up."

My head was spinning, and my stomach was turning, but the sooner I finished this the sooner I could go back to earth.

I and Copper finished zone 1, so be both walked over to the large door. Opening it so we could continue.

"Are you sure you'll be fine? This can wait, if you die, you won't be able to go back."

"I got this, I'll be fine, I've been through worse." I assured him. 

Copper clearly didn't believe me, but he made no more attempts to make me turn back. 

We managed to place all the shards down without and more confrontation.

"Copper? What are you doing in there?" I heard Malak's voice.

"I was just watching her Sir, like you said."

"I meant..." Malak sighed "Just get her out."

I started coughing, and Copper tried picking me up, but I gently patted his shoulder, letting him know i was ok. 

"Let's go." we both started running, making me feel a little more sick.

Half way to the portal, my legs gave out, and I fell in the murky water again.

Copper lifted me up.

"Come on, you got this." He encouraged me to keep going.

We managed to make it back to the portal, jumping through. 

The moment I went through the portal, I fell on the ground, vomiting all over the floor.

"Cierra!" Malak shouted, crouching down next to me. 

"Is she ok?" Copper asked

"Does she look ok!" Malak snapped

That was the last thing I heard before I passed out.