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Lured by an Orb
By Ava Roth

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I was done bathing with my fiancé Minp. It was 6 pm and the sun is still shining. The people start to leave the lake as the demonstration of the new and revolutionize Indefatigeable wetsuit has finished. As a model, me and my fiancé were able to get our feet wet, well not feet but all of our body to show the public how this suit works. We are not a swimmer but the wetsuit keep us above the surface effortlessly, we can also do the same without it but it only takes the bravest and the most confident one to do so. We use a swim machine to propel us forward with a speed of 1 knots. That’s the only way for us, the vulpine to swim. Sadly using a machine.

Minp was having a conversation with his cousin, or the emperor. I don’t know what they were talking about but I was looking at a strange glowy blue orb, hiding between the trees at the entrance of the Perished Swamp. Suddenly, i feel the urge to follow this orb. I cant explain why, i can control my body but the urge is so strong. From this moment I knew, the orb has manipulated me.

I study about this entity for years with my master, Dr Alya. They are known for lure unfortunate people into the swamp. Until they are stuck in a mire and perished. They are rare now but I was the unfortunate one this time. I cant do anything except follow it. I know I will face the same fate of the perished one………

……..but If this is the first time I stuck in the bottomless quickmud. Since my last unlucky day, when I nearly drown in the Glowy Swamp few months ago. i gain a lot of knowledge on how to tackle this messy and deadly trap. I know I will survive this for days to come with this information that I have gathered until the rescue team arrive. Well, I think not even a day they will found me. The emperor is nearby, he can scan the swamp using his divine like power.

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I can feel the mud around my leg right now. I finally here, in the middle of the swamp. the sound of slurping, gurgling and popping emanating from my below confirm that im on top of the mire. With a loud ‘schlooping’ sound. My legs instantly sank below following by constant and slow rate of downward movement. The orb finally released me from its mind manipulation and I can finally assess my current situation.

I tried to pull my right leg upward. But as expected, it got sucked under even more follow by slurping sound. Yep it is worthless to struggle. Struggling is the first instinct when someone trapped in deep mud. Its is the main factor why people perished into this swamp. Fortunately for me. I have undergoes an extensive training on how to fight this instinct along with my fiancé.

As I thinking myself, the mud has rise to my crotch. Still going down with a slow rate. I look at the orb beside me. I don’t know what are they thinking about but they seem to enjoy my predicament. I don’t know what to speak at the moment as my heart pound faster than normal due to the fight or flight instinct initiate as I go down even more.

Dozens of minutes past. The mud reach to my upper belly. This one takes heck a lot of time. The mire still produce the unsettling noise as it is hungry for me. The sinking rate has gone to the absolute minimum, probably zero as my body reach its buoyancy point. I was relieved at the moment, BUT THAT DOES NOT MEAN I WILL NOT SINKING FURTHER. There is nothing at the bottom for about dozens of feet except the semi liquid quickmud.

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And then I realized, I have my phone that is placed on my chest. What an idiot am i. I tried to picked it up but my muddy hand cause the phone to slipped and fall into the mire.

Dammit im so careless as I slap the surface in front of me. Suddenly, I continue to sink again but for a couples of seconds. Woah, this is dangerous. The mire are sensitive to even a slight movement.

The phone picked up on someone while is sinking. “ Ava, are you alright? Damn the orb. They got you. Hang in there, we going to save you”. I know that worried voice.

“im fine Minp, just having a mudbath” I tried to calm him down. Possibly it wont.
“ hehe, without me.” Said the teal fox.
“ you could join me, but you cant move in it so that’s the catch of it. Anyway my phone is nearly sunk so, I will off for……blurgh…..glurhg…blub” The heavy phone finally submerged.

Next one is me but I will not give myself to the mire. I have to survive this. The orb still here, its sort of producing some weird sound. Maybe its angry.

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I got rescued finally, that’s why you can still read this. I got stuck in there for 3 hours before Minp and his cousin arrived. The emperor extracted me using his power while Minp are able to captured the orb. Im glad im wearing this wetsuit, its helping me a little bit. Next time, i will wear it again when exploring a swamp.