As usual, Kayla couldn’t really eat a lot when she was under a lot of stress, so she gave some of it to Jeremy, who smiled stupidly like a child. Diane who didn't like what she saw, couldn't help but snort,

  “Even if you find it hard to swallow the food, you have to do it too, or else you are going to collapse in this state”, she said, Clara also nodded in agreement, “You have to eat a lot. Here, I will give you one of my meat”.

  Kayla could only smile at their kind words, it is not like she doesn't want to eat, but if she eats too much, she is afraid that she can't fight when she has to, it is like you didn't like to eat a lot of food before the marathon or competition, because it will make you lose focus. That is how Kayla is feeling, she feels the need to be on constant alert, so she can't eat too full, “It is alright, I usually didn’t eat a lot too”, she reassured them.

  They quickly finished their meals and decided to take some rest before preparing to set off, Jeremy who finished his meals first went around to play with the excavator out of curiosity and perhaps because of his playful mind, “Say, do you think there will be another key hidden in here? Should we find it?”, he asked. When they were sorting out the card, they also planned to search for clues about this place, but they couldn't find it, it must have been taken away by other people.

  “Jeremy, don’t play anymore, we will set off in a few minutes, you should get proper rest too”, Clara scolded him, Jeremy quickly shrugged it off, “I am alright. If there was a sea here, then it would have been even better. We could even take a simple bath”, he pouted.

  “You want to take a bath in seawater? Only an idiot like you would do so”, Diane snorted.

  Jeremy huffed in annoyance, when he wanted to talk back to her, the sudden sound of a bell rang once again, "Ring", it only rang once, just like before, it was loud and clear, but this sound was a little different compared to the one before, it is much raspy and sounded like a cheaper bell. Everyone's attention got caught by the bell and they fell into deep thought, it was not until they heard Jeremy's scream that were awakened from their daze. Jeremy has climbed down from the excavator, but the sand he is standing on has started to swallow him down alongside the excavator.

  ‘Quicksand?!!’

  They immediately rushed to him, Steven blocked Kayla from going any closer to him. Kayla looks at Jeremy who keeps on being engulfed by the sand, it has reached his knees. Kayla immediately inspected her surroundings, trying to find anything that could be thrown for him to catch, but only sand could be seen at sight.

  “Lay down! Try to lay down!”, Aaron shouted, Jeremy become more panicked and started to move around, which cause him to got sucked down much faster. Steven immediately frowned and said,

  “Keep on moving and you will disappear within a second”, his tone was so cold that it gave you a shiver, Jeremy also couldn't help but stay frozen.

  “Try to reach out to the excavator”, Steven said, Jeremy turned to reach for the excavator and managed to grab a part of it.

  “Now. Slowly climb up, very slowly, try to relax your body”, Steven directed him, Jeremy seemed to be trembling, but he was doing his best to stay calm. Aaron wanted to jump up to the excavator to help Jeremy, but Steven prevented him, “If you added more weight, I am afraid it will sunken faster”, Aaron clicked his tongue in frustration, not knowing what to do except to wait Jeremy to climb out on his own. But it seems the direction is working, because slowly but surely, Jeremy's legs has started to get out little by little, perhaps because the excavator has tilted and the weight has focus on one side, it has begun to sunken much quicker, Kayla got anxious and keep on praying, ‘Please.. get out quickly’

  The moment Jeremy's legs were out of the sand, Aaron quickly told him to jump to him, which he did and the both of them fell to the ground, and by that time, only a small part of the machine could be seen. They all quickly rushed to his side, “Are you alright?”, Kayla asked worriedly, it seemed he is a bit shocked, but there was no visible wound, so that was a relief.

  “I.. did I almost just die?”, Jeremy said trembling, his eyes tearing up like a lost puppy, “I.. I just survived right?!”, he asked to make sure, Kayla nodded at him and smiled, “Good job”, but Jeremy suddenly weep loudly, “I still haven't turned twenty, I still haven't tasted all the delicacy in the world!”, he burst into tears. Seeing him like this, Kayla didn't know whether she should laugh or cry, she just looked at her stupidly, ‘Well.. that is expected from him’

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  “Let's go, better not stay here for long”, Steven said and left without even waiting for them to respond, Clara didn't like his attitude at all, “Who does he think he is?!! Jeremy is still in shock!!”, she turned to looks at Jeremy who is still weeping. Kayla could feel her head hurting from all the commotion, “He is right, let's get out of here, could you get up Jeremy?”, he was still crying but the next moment he immediately calmed down and nodded, Kayla couldn't help but shakes her head after seeing his mood, ‘I seriously didn't know what to do with you’, she sighed internally.

  ***

  In a large room that looks like a big hall, located secretively inside the palace, the room was filled with high equipment devices and computers that were placed neatly and efficiently for the one who wished to use them. A series of glass-like monitors hanging tall and a big table controller below that has a lot of buttons and mechanisms in it. All of this magnificent and majestic things were only controlled by one person who sits at a comfortable and luxurious chair that looks custom-made for him. His pupils were a clear grey color yet his gaze looked bored and dull, he had an admirable face, especially combined with his purple hair color, making him look very attractive, but his gaze made it as if he was someone hard to approach.

  “You know it is against the rules for you to come out first right, Henry?”, he said to the people walking towards him from behind. He took off the glasses he was wearing with cool gestures and ruffled his hair. He is the person Kayla met outside of the bathroom, after taking off his glasses and taking off his strange hairstyle that didn't fit him, he immediately becomes someone completely different, even though his crystal clear silver hair and dark brown eyes contrast with each other, but for some reason, it only makes make him look conquering, especially when he glares at you, completely matches him, there are no aura that tell others that he is weak or delicate.

  “I have done my job, so there is no reason for me to stay, the rest is up to them. But I must say, you have done a good job with the card Louis, it is very elegant and thin”, Henry said while grabbing another chair for him to sit on.

  “You are the second person I know who dares to do whatever you like”, Louis said sarcastically, Henry laughed at his words, “You are wrong, only people who have power and money that can changed the rules”, he said proudly, he took the tablet from the desk and shuffling the content, “Kayla.. Kayla.. Here, Kayla Sterendelle, where is she right now?”, he gave the tablet back to him, Louis took a glance at the screen and looked at him,

  “You want her?”

  Henry give a very meaningful smile, “They said to put the bet in, but they didn't say that we can't choose one of them to be ours”

  “How about for him?”, Louis asked.

  “He is the one who is not interested in this, he is supposed to evaluate the exam, but I came here for his sake!”, he took the tablet back and searched for something, “Here, I will recommend this person to him. Didn't he like someone cute? This person likes to act cute and pitiful, which must be quite suitable for a cold person like him”, Henry thought about it again and couldn't help but laugh, “She looks ordinary, yes a little cute, but her smiles are hiding a lot of meaning, I always got goosebumps whenever I saw her. Must be fun to see how he will deal with her”

  Louis didn't even pretend to hear what he is saying, “There, she is there”, he pointed to one of the screens, Henry looked at it and smiled, ‘I hope I am not choosing the wrong person’

  ***

  They set off to the first destination that are not too far away from their location(at least that is what they thought),

  “We have been walking for half an hour just for one turn? Then how long will be able to arrive?”, Clara whined, it seemed that her physical fitness was not that well, but considering how they have been going around since yesterday, it is pretty understandable. Even Kayla has started to not feel too well. Out of the three of the girls, it seems only Diane who has a much stronger physic, she doesn't seem to be that tired.

  “I have been wondering, is it this place that is so big, or is it because we have lost the sense of time and place that we thought that this place was big”, Kayla wondered, Aaron also have been feeling the same, since being so long in an enclosed space without light can sometimes make you feel delusional.

  “You are not crazy, it is indeed massive”, Steven said, Kayla turned to look at him and he seemed to be counting something, ‘Ah! Could he be counting his footsteps? That is a good idea, it could at least cleanse your mind’, but Kayla didn't have the mood to count, she could entrusted that to him. She is more focused on external voices aside from them, so she could at least be prepared when someone decides to attack.

  After walking for two hours, they finally arrived at their destination, “I think nobody has ever walked so deep as us”, Jeremy wiped the sweat from his forehead. The clue written in the card for this room is “Fabric”, and as expected, the moment they peek inside the room, it is filled with all kind of cloth in different materials, cotton, wool, silk, leather, you named it.

  “This cloth looks very exquisite”, Diane complimented, Kayla also touched one of the cloths and it was indeed very smooth, the colors are also very bright and lovely. They all decided to take a rest first before searching for the keys, Jeremy immediately lay down and started snoring, Clara also did the same thing, putting the clothes on the ground and cuddling in it.

  “Take a rest, we will guard first”, Aaron said, Kayla nodded and turned to look at Diane who had helped her to lay the clothes down as cover, she said her thanks and lay down, Kayla initially thought that she won't be able to sleep, but tiredness took over her and she fall asleep not long after.

  TO BE CONTINUED..