A Rigid Setback

I looked around myself, tried to find an exit from that gloomy cave.

I tried to find a way that will lead us out, but the only way out seemed to be the hole where the beam of light fell upon us. We had to go above from where we stood and it was pretty high for us to normally reach. And apart from that, the cave was covered with rocks all over. There was no exit, nor some path for us to find our way.

So gathering everyone around me, I pointed with my finger to the place where the light came from,

And I said,

"If we find any other way, we will try there, but the only way out right now is the hole there."

"But it is way too high..." Babu said trying the see behind the hole while squinting his eyes.

"But that is the only way we know for now. So I don't think we can lose time finding some other place to go through."

"Everywhere is covered with rocks. If we wanted to get through, we would need to bring a lot of dynamites anyway."

The Knight's and Hiroshi's voices echoed as they talked and tried to move around as we did. We were all either splashing the water as we tried to look around, bumped onto some rocks, slipped on them as they were very wet, or got so close to the sharks, we jumped with fear.

Then Hiroshi looked at the sharks with an irritated look on his face and said,

"What about these sharks? Aren't they going back?

"They are loyal to their King's order." The Knight replied while looking at him.

Then he added,

"They are ordered to protect us and make sure that we get here, so I don't think they will go back that soon."

"Hmph."

"Right here!"

As they talked, I finally found our way out.

I stood right under the light, put my hands together and bend my knees slightly under the light,

Then said,

"I can throw you guys up there, but we have to be fast about it."

"Can you aim that high, Kid?"

"I can do it. But like I said you guys have to hurry."

It was a very short time for us to even think and act, so they quickly approached one by one and stepped on my palms. I leisurely gathered my power from my legs to my arms, then to my hands and threw them with such great power.

This made Hiroshi, The Knight, and Babu reach the cliff and held on to it.

But now I was the one who was only left.

So I gathered my power once more, jumped higher than usual, and tried to reach the place that they have reached. I was getting higher very rapidly. Then I stepped on one of the rocks and jumped towards them once more. But once I got close enough to where they were standing, the cliff that I tried to hang on to, started to break into pieces.

"Huh?"

It was before my realization that I started falling back again. I even tried to keep my eyes open to the little pieces of rock that fell to my face and stretch out my arm again, but it didn't work.

"Take my hand, Kid!"

Hiroshi had tried to lend me his hand, and I was an inch away from holding it.

I tried.

I tried to reach Hiroshi's hand, but I couldn't. The rocks had pulled me down again. Dozens of rocks were falling towards me from where the light came from and pushed towards the ground.

When I landed, I ran away from the rocks for a few seconds and aimed for the top again, but I couldn't make it this time too. The rocks had surrounded me and pinned me down. It blocked every position that I could jump to and the light that hit the cave, the light that I was trying to reach, was no longer visible.

Now I was on the ground with many rocks beside me. The air was covered with dust clouds and it took me some time to see clearly once more.

Then as I stood up, someone shouted from above,

"Kid, are you okay?"

I shouted back and replied,

"Yeah, I'm fine! It's just a little bit dark in here!"

"Hang on there for a little while longer! We'll get you out of there!"

It was unnecessary. If they had stopped just for me here, it would have been a great loss of time for us.

"No! You all have to continue without me! I can find a way!"

Then another voice rose again,

"How do you plan to find your way? If you stay there too long too, it is going to mess up the plan that we came up with!"

And finally, Babu talked,

"They are right, Ryuu! You should wait for us to help!"

I guess they were stubborn just like me.

"I'm sorry but I'm not in a situation for you guys to help, neither all of you are!"

Then I looked around myself and added,

"Come on now! Get there as fast as you can and wait for me! I assure you I will catch up with you guys!"

Even though I needed help, I knew I was right about what I was saying. We all knew. It would just be rumbling around for a bit and that bit of time would have ended many lives throughout our waste. To find a saving strategy for me, they had to trust me first. That's why Hiroshi called out one last time,

"We'll see you on the other side, Kid! Be careful!"

Then I heard footsteps going in the direction where I stood.

They continued the mission and left me there. And when they got away from me real good, I regained my focus and realized that I couldn't stay here anymore. So I took action just like them and started looking around.