I helped Alessandro get back up on top of the train. I took a minute to catch my breath. I stood up and looked at Alessandro, hoping he was alright. “You’re still in one piece, I see. Do you know what they want?”

Alessandro was holding his blade. “The truce is over,” he said as he swiftly swung his blade at me. I was quick to react but he managed to get a good, clean swipe across my chest. The pain was intense. I immediately started to become incredibly dizzy and started to lose my balance. Before I knew it, I fell of the edge of the carriage.

“No!” Al shouted as he tried to catch me. The last I saw of him was his face overlooking the side of the edge.

The current of the river was strong. I struggled to keep afloat but my weakened condition made the situation worse for me. I could see my blood in the water and I was thrown about in the water. The sound of the waterfall roared behind me. I put all my strength into swimming to the side but it was no use. Unconsciousness starting was to claim me. My weakened body fell for a time over the waterfall. I was so weak I couldn’t hear anything. Time seemed to slow down.

I sank in the water below. I wasn’t badly hurt from the fall but I couldn’t move anymore. As I sank into the water, I could see the bubbles coming out from my mouth. The sunlight that shone through the water seemed to fade. It became darker…and darker…and darker...until there was only darkness. And all was silent.

[Narrator’s POV]

Several days later…

Two figures walked through the snow of Antarctica without a word being said between them. One wore a thick jacket and hid his face with a hood. The other wore a more feminine version of what the other wore. Ahead of them was a cave, hidden amongst the snowy hills. Stalactites loomed over their heads as they walked through the cave. It was long path they took.

They both climbed over a few rocks with ease. They crossed a narrow bridge and didn’t even give a care for the stalagmites on the cavern floor below. The temperature became colder and colder the further they went. At last, what seemed like forever, they reached a hallway. Five doors stood between them and the other side of the hallway. All of them covered with different elements; water, fire, metal, stone and light.

It took a long time, but the two figures made their way past all the doors using artefacts that one of them had in their bag. They reached a double door and took out a few mysterious objects. Among them were vases with unknown chemicals in them and what appeared to be an iron door wheel. The vases where placed into a few empty slots in the wall. The vases lit up once placed. The male figure then placed the wheel on a slot and turned it clockwise. The area vibrated as the twin doors groaned open.

The female figure flicked a lighter and they both walked past the double doors. The further they went in, the darker it got. Eventually, they reached a dead end which was a cold, dark and damp large room. The male figure looked about in the room and smiled. On each of the other three walls were three figures who were chained to the wall with thick material. It was dark and their facial expressions could not clearly be seen. Their female visitor pulled out a folder and through it at the floor in front of them. The other visitor lit a candle so that they could see what the documents read.

The male figure spoke to the three prisoners. “Greetings, gentlemen. You may wonder I am here. Me, of all people. You see, I have a business proposition for you. I have a problem on my hands and I was unsuccessful in dealing with it before this. I found these documents on said problem and realised that my little problem is going to be an even bigger problem. I will deal with this problem myself. However, this ‘problem’ has ‘other problems’ linked to it. I want to ask if you three could deal with these ‘other problems’. I will grant you your freedom at the cost of you helping me. The only catch is that you cannot betray me…unless you want to end up in here again or in place even worse than this. So, what do you say, my good fellows? Do we have a deal?”

In the room, the atmosphere changed.

The wind became almost violent, reminiscent of a strong wind…

Electricity sparkled across the room, dancing on the floor and walls…

And the icy cold surroundings just got a lot more colder…