Dododex

ARK: Survival Evolved & Ascended Companion

The Arks: Over Heaven (by Ben)

Chapter 62: The Prison

Original Post Date: May 1, 2024

Note: Story starts in Wyvern, Aerial ABC backwards filter and has a Prologue. Last chapter in Sabertooth Salmon, next chapter in Trilobite.

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Chris looked on in awe at the large gates that lay ahead. They were even larger than the ones back at the Book Club camp, and standing guard at the gates were a man and woman in cloth armor, carrying spears that lay dormant in their hands. Chris would have definitely been a lot more impressed if he weren’t being taken prisoner at the moment.

The man looked at Patricia and Nate in worry. Nate was still seething in Patricia’s arm, his leg pouring with blood from the bullet wound General Wyvern had inflicted on him. He opened his mouth to speak, but General Wyvern quickly hushed him.

“Nate simply had to be punished, Landon. There should be no cause for concern.”

Landon gulped, and ushered his hand to the gate.

“Well, come on in, sir. The Crimson Crusader is waiting.”

The woman glanced at Patricia, and nodded at her. Patricia nodded back. Chris worriedly looked around as the gates began to open, and General Wyvern put his cold hand on Chris’s back, gently pushing him forward.

Chris tumbled forward onto the red carpet, and sitting on a woolen metal throne a few meters in front of him was a woman with red flak armor and a smug expression. Her wavy orange-brown hair flowed down, and her face rested on her fist. She had a glass of grape juice in the other, swinging back and forth. Sun poured in from the open ceiling, creating a thick shadow that covered Chris in the shadows. Banners were hung on pillars that contained a fire emblem that had two swords behind it, and one trident in the middle. It had colors of orange, red, and yellow in waves.

“Crimson Crusader! The spy has information about Ben.”

The lady scowled at Chris, and Chris felt chills go down his spine. Chris found himself falling to his knees.

“Ma’am, I mean no harm. I was only doing what I believed right for my friends,” Chris explained, looking down at the red carpet. The lady rolled her eyes at him.

“Just get to the point.”

Chris quickly told her everything he had told General Wyvern, and the Crimson Crusader smirked.

“So you ARE friends with that Ben. Excellent. I suppose I’ll have my scouts pay him a visit,” the Crimson Crusader looked over to Nate, who was still trembling in Patricia’s arms. The Crimson Crusader pointed a crooked finger at him.

“You will lead the attack.”

Nate’s eyes opened in shock, and he quickly shot back in protest,

“What?! But your highness… I’m badly hurt! That General Wyvern-” Nate paused as he looked over at General Wyvern, who was rubbing the barrel of his pistol, trying to get a smudge off the shiny metal.

“Don’t care. Didn’t ask. I expect you to be gone by tomorrow… You have plenty of time by then to heal in the infirmary.”

Nate began to whimper, and Patricia sighed.

“Patricia, take Nate there will you? I doubt he has the ability to get there on his own. Thank you,” General Wyvern calmly ordered Patricia. Patricia nodded and began to walk away, her shoes pounding on the stone foundation. The Crimson Crusader turned back to Chris.

“Now boy. I just have two more questions to ask you, and you'll get used to your new home… First, what’s your attribute?” June asked with a snarl.

“Invisibility,” Chris meekly replied.

“Second, how did you tame that flying creature?”

Chris paused, before finally responding.

“I knocked it unconscious and fed it meat… But if you’re trying to tame an herbivore, you need to use plants.”

June’s eyes lit up, and a smirk grew on her face.

“That easy huh? I believe you… Now take him away, General.”

“Yes, Your Highness,” General Wyvern replied.

General Wyvern brought Chris up and led him away to another room. Down a small stone hallway, there were a few cells that were made of iron bars. Calming music played from inside, and General Wyvern unlocked one of the doors and opened it up. General Wyvern took the handcuffs off Chris, then gently pushed Chris inside, before shutting the door on him and locking it.

He wordlessly walked away, and Chris sighed, collapsing onto the bed.

“This sucks!” Chris shouted. The music began to fade into the background, and the sound of a mattress creaking sounded in the cell across from his.

“I know, right? Being in jail again kind of reeks,” the other prisoner replied. Chris turned his head to see a man wearing a black leather jacket, white shirt, and blue jeans. He had gelled up black hair and a black eye.

“Who are you?” Chris asked him with a raised eyebrow.

“Me? A prisoner just like you… What else is there to say?”

“No, like, your name.”

“Oh, right. Ian.”

“I’m Chris,” Chris said in response. He eyed Ian’s clothes cautiously, “What’s with the get up? Where’d you even find those clothes in a place like this…”

“These clothes? They’re not from around here, brotha,” Ian replied smugly, “I’ve had them with me since we got taken to this weird island.”

“Since before… We were about to graduate, why would you be wearing that during our graduation?!” Chris asked in shock. Ian raised his eyebrow.

“I wasn’t going to graduate, but you were, I snuck in. I’m not actually a student from your school. I was going to surprise an old friend with a few others, but… here we are now. Actually, I’m not even from these parts. I come from the Western States. Pretty long trip, but I guess it was worth it? Hell if I know. I haven’t seen my old friend’s face yet,” Ian explained with a yawn.

So that was with the accent. It reminded him a little of Ben’s, just a bit more intense and strong. Though, Chris found it even more shocking that someone would go out of their way to travel across the continent just to see a friend.

“You must have been really close to your friend if you traveled all the way from the West,” Chris said, “May I ask who your friend is?”

Ian glanced over at Chris, and then looked away with sad eyes.

“I’ll tell you later,” Ian decided. The implant embedded into Ian’s left wrist began to glow, and the music that was in the background suddenly began to get louder.

“I’m too lazy to talk more right now. Talk to me later. Rattle the bars or call me… on your CELL phone,” Ian smirked.

Ba dum, tsss; the clack of the drums rang in the distance.

“Okay then, talk to you later,” Chris replied, turning over in his bed. He shut his eyes. He decided he was going to get some sleep while he still could.