Elevate | ONC 2021

8. Saved

The seeds of dread had planted itself within Sintra's body, its roots spreading throughout her veins while fear sprouted from her shaking bones.

Slowly, water began pooling inside the elevator as it seethed through the nooks and crannies of the closed door.

"Welcome geniuses and congratulations!" The automated woman sounded, startling an already frightened Sintra as her voice filled the compartment.

"Well done on your wins from the second level! I trust you all have enjoyed your rest as well. Your current location is the Bermuda Triangle. In this area you will sight many lost treasures but only one is needed for your success as you retrieve your new pass."

Sintra's entire body went rigid at the words "Bermuda Triangle". She thought they must have made a mistake. There was no way they were at that dreadful place.

The place where aircrafts had disappeared without a trace— where ships had sunken into the void and people had faded into nonexistence. It absolutely couldn't be that place.

"The Leviathan is your destination. A small vessel sunken in the 1970s. Inside lies a chest containing your pass for clearance to the next level. Your time limit is set for 1 hour as that is also the duration of your oxygen tanks. Good luck, Geniuses!" She finished, making Sintra back into the wall of the elevator as she gripped the wooden rails.

Sintra had thought she was finished with breakdowns. She had believed that she was ready to take on this next task with valiance. Even though Vante had told her that some of the players had been underwater she had simply casted it off as something that would never happen since people had already done it.

Now, here she was not only underwater but in the freaking Bermuda Triangle. A place renowned for its odd disappearances and strange occurrences.

The desert was child's play comparing to this. She would take the deathworm a hundred times if it meant not being here. She couldn't see how they would win—how they could win.

Vante had told her that if she panicked, she would really die this time but they were going to die regardless. This was the real end of the line.

"Hey, Sintra!" She heard Vante say. His face was now dangerously close to hers as he held her face with both hands, tears of trepidation ready to fall from her eyes— tears that would most likely fall for the last time.

"I told you not to panic," he said, staring down at her with passionately burning eyes.

"I want you to listen to me. Forget that you can't swim. Forget that you're in the triangle. Right now the only thing I want you to do is remember you're not alone. You almost died for me before so now I want you to live for me. Do you understand?"

The tears fell as Sintra forced herself to nod, her eyes glued to his while her whole body shook fretfully.

"If you panic, you will die. And I don't want you to die. I won't let you. Do you hear me?" He asked.

"V-van—"

"No buts, Sintra!" He raised his voice, frightening her a bit. "Right now, I am your arms. I am your legs. I am your strength. I am your fears. Right now, I am you. I need to you believe this like you believe you're scared. We can do this."

"B-but no one's ever returned," Sintra said, her voice just above a whisper as tears stained her cheeks.

"Until us." He told her, nodding as if trying to convince himself as well.

"Doors open in 3 minutes," the automated voice stated and Sintra watched as Vante headed for his backpack, retrieving two black wetsuits from his bag before instructing Sintra to put one on.