The Arks: Over Heaven (by Ben)

Chapter 16: Confrontation

Part 2/2

“Yes. That’s correct. A lot of us didn’t believe it at first, but that person, she, she was the reason the Book Club was even able to survive,” Ben continued, “We put our faith in her. She said that if we were to survive, we needed to domesticate the beasts of this place. She taught us all how to do it.”

Ben looked at Samuel’s raptor, and pointed at it.

“This is exactly how we were able to domesticate this Raptor,” Ben said.

“Wait wait wait, so this is all based on a book?” Ruby said, “That’s, that’s ridiculous!”

“It sounds crazy, but it seems he’s telling the truth,” Neddy said. He looked up toward the skies with clenched fists, “I’m still wondering why it’d be based off one though.”

“We don’t have time to question the why,” Aurora finally said, “We just need to use this information to survive. Samuel thought it’d be a good idea if we go check out this Book Club.”

“But I thought we were staying away from people?” Ruby asked confusingly.

“Change of plans, that’s all,” Samuel said, “Besides, Ben here says the Book Club wants more people on our side. They won’t hurt us.”

“Yes. Rest assured we won’t harm you, we will teach you the ways of this Island and we will be safe for the time being,” Ben replied. He pointed in the direction of the green Obelisk.

“We come from there. Our camp is set up at a river where there’s little threat. It’s a long way away, but I am sure that we can make it there in at least a day or two if we are vigilant,” Ben decided, “But before we can do that, who’s opening the beacon up?”

Neddy looked at the beacon, and then back at Ben.

“Wait, what do you mean by opening it up?”

“Think of it like a loot crate in a game,” Ben reasoned, “Even though they weren’t mentioned in the book she read, they had to be here for a reason, right? One of us touched it and before they knew it they learned how to build small thatch huts. I found one myself and was able to collect a few stone tools.”

Ruby walked up to the beacon, staring at it in awe.

“You guys mind if I take a swing with this one?” Ruby requested.

“Of course, go ahead,” Neddy said. Aurora nodded, and Samuel didn’t really seem to care.

Ruby touched the beacon, and soon she began to glow green. Everyone gasped, and as the beacon disintegrated before their very eyes, a metal crossbow manifested in Ruby’s hands. Ruby looked down at her new weapon, running her fingers along the metal frame and the neatly strung string.

“Woah… That was cool,” Ruby said.

“Just like a game,” Neddy muttered in realization.

Ben let out a groan of relief as he began to stretch his body. Samuel looked down Ben’s back, and his eyes widened at what he saw.

“Vines,” Samuel thought. He looked up at the forest, and saw the weird red haze again… He blinked his eyes, and it disappeared.

“Okay, are we ready to go?” Samuel asked. Ruby and Neddy nodded in agreement.

“Yes. No more time to waste,” Ruby said as she nocked an arrow into the crossbow. She pulled the string back, and Ben began to skip forward.

“Alright, let’s go now! I’ll lead the way!” Ben said. The others began to follow Ben, prepared to go to the Book Club’s camp.

But as they did, Samuel couldn’t help but wonder. He stared at Star, who was walking along in a jolly manner.

“I never tamed you, Star,” Samuel thought as he stared at her, “And, you have that same glow like an implant.”

Samuel squinted his eyes at the brown feathers than ran down Star’s neck.

“What are you, Star?”