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ลำดับตอนที่ #5 : A Dive of Destiny
Chapter 5 - A Dive of Destiny
[Alex]
Our illegal landing in the heart of the Australian wilderness was about as subtle as a bull in a china shop. Malikos’s private jet touched down like it was trying to impress every animal within a hundred miles. I could already imagine the kangaroos gearing up for a showdown. Wildlife versus weirdos.
The jungle rose around us, a wall of greenery so dense it made my heart race. And it wasn’t the landing that did it; it was the realization that I was now in the middle of nowhere with Malikos’s goon squad as my not-so-welcome tour guides.
And then came the insects. As someone who had always dwelled in a beach city, my encounters with nature were limited to the sea, the vibrant park, a few potted plants on my balcony, and my cute little orderly garden. But here, in the wild, the bugs were relentless. They swarmed around me like tiny kamikaze pilots, as if they’d been waiting their whole lives for a buffet.
“Keep moving!” One of the goons barked, shoving me forward with a hefty hand, trying to look tough. I stumbled through the underbrush. I know you’re trying to impress your weird boss, but violence is not the answer, bro! I thought.
Finally, we reached a makeshift camp deep in the jungle. It looked like a set from a low-budget adventure movie, complete with tattered tents, a rusty campfire pit, and a smell that suggested the goons’ idea of gourmet cuisine was charred meat on a stick. Not very nutritious, if you ask me.
As I stood there, swatting at the relentless mosquitoes, I glanced at my surroundings. It was absurdly beautiful, in a raw, untamed way. The canopy above filtered the sunlight into dappled patterns on the forest floor, and the calls of unseen creatures echoed through the trees. For a moment, I forgot about Malikos, the amulet, and even the ridiculous adventure I had been roped into.
But then, just as I was starting to appreciate the ambiance, Malikos’s voice shattered my reverie. “Enough sightseeing, Mr. Azklepioz. We have a schedule to keep.”
With that, he ordered the goons to gather the equipment. And by ‘equipment’, I quickly realized he meant my ludicrous diving gear.
The sight of the flimsy swimming briefs, cheap diving flippers, and snorkeling goggles sent a shiver down my spine. They looked like they had been scavenged from the clearance section of a discount store. If they had a diving suit equivalent of a clown costume, this was it.
“Um, do I really have to wear these?” I asked, trying to keep a straight face as I held up the tiny pair of swimming briefs.
Malikos chuckled, a sound that could make the Grinch look like a stand-up comedian. “Oh, you have no choice, Mr. Azklepioz. It’s either the briefs or the birthday suit.”
Okay Alex, you’re in an enemy’s territory right now, so cooperation is your best bet here, I sighed, realizing that my dignity was about to take a nosedive. “Alright, fine. Let’s get this over with.”
As I reluctantly changed into the absurd diving gear, I immediately felt a pang of embarrassment. The briefs barely covered the essentials, and I felt exposed in a way I hadn’t since my childhood summers at the local pool.
Malikos signaled for me to follow him. The goons gathered around, ready to escort me to the next leg of this already weird journey.
We made our way to a yacht – really, couldn’t Malikos prepare something less polluting? Not to mention the fact that we’re trying to stay under the radar of the local authorities. It was like marching up to the authorities with a megaphone and announcing, “Hey, we’re about to do something illegal. Please ignore the giant yacht leaving carbon footprints along Perth’s coastline!”
The yacht bobbed on the edge of a crystal-clear river, its water reflecting vibrant hues of the jungle. It was a stunning sight, one that momentarily distracted me from the absurdity of my attire.
The yacht zoomed away at an incredible speed, transitioning from the river to the sea in a matter of moments. The scenery changed dramatically as we approached our destination—Rottnest Island. I’d read about it in books, but seeing it in person was like discovering a hidden treasure chest at the end of a very surreal rainbow. The island’s pristine beaches and turquoise waters were a stark contrast to the jungle I had just left behind.
And then it hit me: How did Malikos know that the riddle pointed to Rottnest Island? I hadn’t revealed that part of the riddle to him. Who was he talking to when he made that call after hearing only the first half of the riddle? But right now, my brain was as busy as my stomach, which was trying to digest its latest bizarre meal.
On the way to the island, Malikos approached me, a wicked grin on his face, “Now, Mr. Azklepioz, let me introduce you to your ticket to the amulet.” He handed me a small, strange-looking fruit for me to eat.
I raised an eyebrow, taking a cautious bite. “Hmm, too much salt.”
Malikos chuckled, patting me on the back of my ridiculous briefs with one of his glove-covered hands in an unsettlingly friendly manner – the audacity!
To my surprise, he said, “Enjoy your meal, Mr. Azklepioz. This sea-fruit is your key to breathing underwater for the next twenty-four hours.”
I blinked, amazed and bewildered. Breathing underwater? Now, that was a new one. But before I could ask more questions, Malikos signaled that we were near Rottnest Island.
As we anchored near the quiet side of the island, the natural beauty of the place marveled me. It was like stepping into a postcard, a world away from the chaos of my city life. And to think, this serene paradise was the antipodal counterpart to the infamous Bermuda Triangle, known for its mysterious disappearances and unexplained phenomena. Life had certainly taken a turn for the surreal. I – who would have won a Nobel Prize for being an over-thinker, if it had one, that is – had an uneasy feeling that these two places were connected somehow.
But there was no time to savor the moment or create more mysteries for myself. Malikos had made it abundantly clear that we were here for a purpose—to find the Aquamendus Amulet.
And so, as I stood on the diving board on the yacht, clad in my absurd diving gear, with the taste of the sea still lingering on my lips, I knew that my adventure had truly begun.
With a deep breath, I took a step forward, glancing down at my well-toned physique in the flimsy swimming briefs, I muttered to myself, “Well, I suppose Adonis and Apollo would be positively envious.”
Then, I took a flawless, Olympic-worthy dive into the cool embrace of the sea.
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