The Arks: Over Heaven (by Ben)

Chapter 39: Downed

Original Post Date: Mar 23, 2024

Note: Story starts in Wyvern, Aerial ABC backwards filter and has a Prologue. Last chapter in Basilosaurus, next chapter in Cnidaria.

~

Chris couldn’t help but smile as the passing of the wind made his hair fly back and his clothes rustle like soft bushes. On the Pteranodon, Chris could see most of the island that he and the other graduates had been sent to with his own pair of eyes. There were so many unfamiliar places to him, all of which he wanted to check out. He wanted to land the Pteranodon and see what types of dinosaurs he’d be able to find, what types of people he’d be able to meet.

“There’s more time for that later. I need to find Tiffany,” Chris thought as he gritted his teeth.

Chris found himself staring down at the island every once in a while to see if any houses would stick out of the forests. But surprisingly, everything was barren.

Samuel had claimed that he and his team had made quite a few people before making it to the Book Club camp… but so far there was practically nothing. Had Samuel lied about it?

“He doesn’t seem like the type of person to lie. Besides, why would he lie about that?” Chris thought.

As Chris continued to fly, another Obelisk soon came into view. Unlike the one near their camp, it was red and was located quite close to a remote island. It seemed to have created an oasis similar to the green one. Chris could feel himself burning up as he approached.

“W-What am I doing?!” Chris stammered, pulling on the reins. The Pteranodon jerked back and halted, “Do I not remember what happened when THEY went to the Obelisk?! I’m not- I’m not going there.”

Chris turned the Pteranodon around and began to fly back. But as he was, he noticed something… sparkle at the corner of his eye. He looked back one last time, and with wide eyes saw a giant stone castle looming above the hill. A red flag was planted on a wall, and he could barely see people coming in and out of it.

“People,” Chris whispered, beads of sweat dripping down his face. The Pteranodon let out a croak of annoyance, the flapping of its wings growing slower and slower.

“Better find a place to land.”

Chris aimed down and the Pteranodon made its way to an adjacent cliffside. As Chris landed down onto the rock, reached into his pouch, fumbled around for a bit before finally pulling out a spyglass.

He took the cap off and put his eye to it, pointing the instrument directly at the castle. To his horror he saw many guards standing post at the gate of the castle. Even though they only wore clothes made of animal hide, they still seemed to be a force to reckon with. Half had spears, half had metal pikes, and a very select few even carried sharp swords that looked so sharp they could cut through water.

Granted, they didn’t seem to know how to tame a dinosaur, but they still greatly outnumbered the Book Club camp by a lot. And who knew if they were violent or not?

“I should probably report back to the others,” Chris muttered to himself. He was about to tug on the reins, when he stopped himself.

“No,” Chris told himself, “Not yet. The more information I gather, the better they can prepare. I won’t delay anything. Samuel can piece something together to help defend against this potential threat.”

He tugged on the reins, and instead of going back to the green Obelisk where home was, he decided to fly right above the castle.

With some bravery growing in his heart, he flew as high as he could, but not too far up that he couldn’t see the castle, and not too low they could spot the spy. The Pteranodon slowly flapped its wings across, and soon he found himself floating above the castle’s roof.

Or at least, where the roof should’ve been.

With a snort, Chris realized that the castle had no roof. Perfect for spying and seeing what was going on inside. He slowly let go of the reins, feeling a spike of adrenaline in his heart. He felt his legs wrap around the Pteranodon, not wanting to fall off. Then he took his spyglass out and began to peek in on what was going on inside.

He noticed that it looked like some sort of royal throne room. Through the glass, he spotted a girl with orange-brown overflowing hair sitting on the throne. She wore a suit of metal armor that was painted red. She seemed to be talking to someone before her.

“That must be their leader…” Chris thought with squinted eyes.

Chris moved the spyglass again and saw a man wearing some sort of grass armor speaking with her. He had a longneck rifle in one hand, and he was pointing at Chris with the other.

“Wait a minute, WHAT?!” Chris realized with wide eyes. He looked back at the ‘queen’. She just rolled her eyes and went off again, an anger in her facial expression.

Chris moved the spyglass back to the grass guy, and his jaw dropped as he saw him pointing the rifle right at him.

BAM!

The Pteranodon let out a squawk as blood spurted from its wing like a volcano’s eruption. In a panic, Chris dropped the now bloodied spyglass down below. He tugged on the reins, but the Pteranodon was out of control. It began to fly down to the castle.

“No!” Chris yelled in anger. He tugged on the reins again, and the Pteranodon moved forward, staggering in the air. The Pteranodon made fruitless attempts to fly, but it was no use.

Chris and the Pteranodon flew away as far as they could, eventually reaching the remote island that he had spotted prior to the castle sighting. It didn’t seem too far from the mainland. With one last push, the Pteranodon passed out, and Chris braced himself for impact.

CRASH!

THUMP!

“Ughh. Damn it… DAMN IT!” Chris muttered under his breath. He sat up, disoriented and his vision blurry. He blinked a few times, crawling off the Pteranodon’s saddle, and resting his back against a tree. He let out heavy heaves of exhaustion, as his vision began to regain.

This wasn’t good at all.

“I’m far away from camp,” Chris thought, “I’m alone.”

Chris looked at the Pteranodon. One of its wings was gushing with blood and the other was completely snapped at the base. Its tongue was sprawled out on the grass, and its eyes were lifeless.

“And the only thing I can travel with is dead,” Chris sighed.

Chris began to shake in fear. He wrapped his arms around his body, curling up into a ball and taking deep breaths in and out.

“What do I do now?”

~

“Good shot, General,” June said with a smirk, “You got that lowly Peeping Tom.”

“Of course, your majesty,” the General replied, “I’d never disappoint.”

“Well General, ya’ know they might not be dead,” June added on with a wink, “I think you and your mates should go check. See if they really died or not.”

“Of course.”

The General hurried out of the throne room with haste, and June put her head on her fist, her eyes looking up at the morning sky.

“That Peeping Tom managed to completely bring one of those beasts under their control,” June thought, “Hmm.”

“Wonder how they did that.”

“And can I use it to win Ben?”

“...”

“Hmph. Bet I could. I bet I could.”