26 Chapter 26 - Crystal Eater (2/2)
”Give me the gills.”
(INITIATING EVOLUTION.)
Diving into the water, he felt the sides of his neck flutter and then he could suddenly breathe.The heat signature below him was slowly fading.He swam faster, thinking it was getting away from him, but as he came up on it, he realized that it was dead.His bite had worked!
Swimming around to the mouth, he grimaced.How was he going to get them out?Could he pry open the mouth?Or should he start cutting from the side and hope he could cut through it fast enough?
”Initiate temporary evolution, bladehands.”
(INITIATING TEMPORARY EVOLUTION.)
(EVOLUTION COMPLETE)
Dustin started slicing, quickly staining the surrounding water with the black blood of the monster.He ignored it, as well as the leeches that let go of his crystal hide, to swim towards the leaking cuts, and continued cutting.When he reached the stomach, the acid that spilled out, started eating his crystal blades, eroding them.
”End temporary evolution.”
(INITIATING EVOLUTION.)
(EVOLUTION COMPLETE)
Gripping the edges of the cut stomach, he shoved his hand inside, feeling around for anything hard.He felt the hand of the prince and jerked him out.He was much smaller, most of his crystal skin having been eaten away.
Letting him fall, Dustin reached back in, trying to find Olivia.There was nothing.He grabbed the edges and ripped it open wider in panic.She had to be here.Hadn't she?
Swimming back after finding nothing more, he swam down to grab the floating prince, then headed for shore.Carrying him past the disgusting leeches, he set him down on the shore.A few hard whacks on the back had him choking out water and unmentionable liquids.Dustin stepped back out of the way of the spray, when a gleam caught his eye.
Moving further down the shore, just in the bushes, was Olivia's PED.There was blood where it had been ripped off of her arm.He crouched, looking around carefully, before picking it up.It was still warm.He could see the heat where it had been in contact with her skin.
A feeling of relief washed over him as he realized she hadn't been eaten.But what had happened?Why was her PED here?