Chapter 3: The Umbral Quest [Part I]

The third day on the Forbidden Island began later than usual for the seven friends. After the previous day's exhaustive exploration and eerie discoveries, they slept through the morning, finally awakening to the mid-day sun.

The clock approached lunchtime when they gathered at the mini-hotel, the air thick with a mix of curiosity and lingering apprehension.

As they sat around the rustic wooden table, savoring a hearty meal prepared by Bamidele and Hadiza, the conversation naturally drifted back to the mysterious island and their plans for the day.

'What's the plan today?" Isabella asked, glancing around at her friends.

Gabriel, suggested with a grin, "How about a round of truth or dare? That should get us warmed up."

But Omari, who had been listening Intently, interjected with a mysterious smile. "I have a better idea,"

he said, his eyes twinkling with intrigue. "Instead of wandering, why not play a game that everyone who visits this island plays?"

The friends exchanged curious glances. "What kind of game?" Ezekiel asked, wary of surprises.

Omari reached under the table and pulled out an old, intricately designed wooden box. He placed it in front of them and slowly lifted the lid, revealing a beautifully crafted board game. The game was adorned with dark, foreboding symbols and a network of pathways leading to various parts of the island.

"It's called 'Umbral Quest'," Omari explained. "This game has been played by many who seek the island's deepest secrets.

•It consists of 3, 5, or 7 players.

•The number of rounds depends totally on how many players are there.

•In each round you will get a note containing directions to a specific location By the end, each of you will have gathered seven notes, and on the back of every note, there will be a symbol of an organ will be drawn.

•This symbol will guide you to an organ that you must take.

•You'll have 78 hours to finish it."

Intrigued by the prospect of a new adventure, the friends agreed to play. Omari handed them the game chest, they took the box went toward the cabin, and started the game. By the end, they all had a note and an organ of their own with a number sequence written on it.

The first note of the first round, with Oliver's hands trembling slightly as he unfolded his.

"The door to the second cabin," Oliver read aloud, his voice tinged with both excitement and trepidation. "That's where my note is leading us."

Serapha, her curiosity piqued, added, "Let's stick together and explore each place as a group. It'll be more fun that way."

With a plan set, they gathered their belongings and prepared to embark on the first leg of their journey. The familiar path to the second cabin felt different under the midday sun, its shadows less menacing but still whispering secrets of the past. Arriving at the cabin, they approached the door that had thwarted their attempts the previous night. It stood as resolute as ever, seemingly daring them to uncover its secrets.

"Let's try again," Adrian suggested. "There has to be a way inside."

They took turns trying to force the door open, each push and shove growing more desperate. As frustration mounted, Gabriel, always the one to find humor in the situation, banged the wall next to the door in mock exasperation.

To everyone's astonishment, the wall gave way, revealing a hidden entrance.

"Well, that's one way to open a door," Gabriel laughed, shaking his head in disbelief.

"Nice going, Sherlock'" Linda quipped, her eyes sparkling with amusement despite the eerie circumstances.

With newfound determination, they stepped through the concealed entrance into a pitch-black hallway. The air grew colder, and the musty scent of decay filled their nostrils. Flashlights and mobile phone lights flickered on, casting eerie shadows on the walls as they moved deeper into the darkness.

The hallway led them to a steep, rickety staircase descending into the ground. As they cautiously made their way down, the air grew thicker, almost suffocating. At the bottom, they found themselves in a hidden basement, a relic of the island's tragic history.

The Dark Heart of the Cabin Room was a chilling testament to the island's dark past. Rotten herbs and crumbling leaves littered the floor, remnants of long-forgotten attempts at healing. The walls were stained with dried blood, and scattered around the room were teeth, nails, and tufts of hair- grim echoes of the suffering that once took place here.

"This must have been where they kept the plague victims," Isabella whispered, her voice barely audible over the pounding of her heart.

The sight was too much to bear. Panic set in as they realized the true horror of what they had stumbled upon.

Oliver's face turned pale, and his breathing quickened "We need to get out of here"

he almost shouted, his voice shaking.

"Guys, we need to calm down," Serapha said, her voice steady and confident, with no hint of fear in her eyes "Remember what Omari said? This game has been played by many before us. Just like those brain and heart props, it's all a setup to intensify the vibe of the game. So relax and chill"

"Exactly! Let's just find the thing on Oliver's note and leave'" Ezekiel added, taking the note from Oliver's trembling hand. He turned it over and found a symbol drawn on the back a 'liver.'

"A liver?" Ezekiel said, raising an eyebrow. "Okay, it's a bloody liver. Let's be done with it."

They began searching the room, shining their lights into every dark corner, the tension palpable. The basement's oppressive atmosphere seemed to close in on them, making every shadow and creak feel ominous.

Suddenly, Oliver's voice broke the silence. "I found it! It's here!" he called out, his voice thick with disgust.

The group rushed over to where Oliver was pointing. In the dim light, they could make out a small, rusted box. On its front was a label that read, "Human Organ."

Isabella hesitated but then opened the box, immediately gagging as the smell hit her. Inside was a preserved liver, looking disturbingly real.

"Eww! The fudge!!" Isabella exclaimed, recoiling from the box.

"Just close the lid of this shit, bro,'' Serapha said, waving a hand in front of her nose to ward off the stench.

Oliver hurriedly slammed the lid shut and placed the box back on the ground. Everyone took a deep breath, trying to compose themselves.

"That was the most disgusting thing I've ever smelled," Adrian muttered, shaking his head.

Gabriel, always ready with a joke, quipped, "Guys, stop messing with her. Liver alone!" His pun elicited a round of groans and reluctant laughter, easing the tension slightly.

"What do we do with this?" Oliver asked, looking at the box with a mixture of horror and revulsion. "I can't keep carrying this thing around."

"I'm with Oliver on this one'' Gabriel added, wrinkling his nose. "It's realistic and all, but it's still disgusting."

With that, they came out to give this disgust to Omari but saw him already at the entrance.

Suddenly, a voice broke through their conversation. "You found it? How?" Omari stood at the entrance, his eyes wide with surprise.

"What do you mean, how? We saw it, we grabbed it, we brought it," Gabriel replied, a hint of sass in his voice.

Omari hurried over and took the box from Oliver's hands, his expression a mix of awe and caution.

"Give it to me. I'll take care of it. Just continue with the game."

As Omari walked away with the box, the friends exchanged uneasy glances. The island's mysteries were deeper and darker than they had anticipated, and each step seemed to pull them further into its shadowy embrace.

[2nd Task]

The Journey to the 'Door to the Second Cabin' With the grisly liver safely handed over to Omari, the group returned to their cabin to catch their breath and gather their thoughts. The eerie experience in the basement left them shaken, but

Serapha's logical reassurances helped steady their nerves.

After all, as Omari kept reminding them, it

was just a game meant to heighten their experience on the island.

They huddled together, examining the notes they had drawn. Each note had a number, clearly indicating the sequence they were meant to follow. Serapha's turn was next, and her note pointed them toward the lighthouse ruins.

Turning it over, she revealed the symbol: a pair of kidneys crudely drawn in faded ink.

"Kidneys, huh?" Gabriel smirked. "'Wonder what delightful surprise we'll find this time." Serapha rolled her eyes playfully.

"Let's just get this over with. The sooner we find it, the sooner we can leave this creepy island."

They packed their bags with essentials and headed out. The path to the lighthouse was rugged and steep, winding up the rocky cliffside. The sun was beginning its descent, casting long shadows over the island, making their journey even more foreboding.

The lighthouse stood at the highest point of the island, its once-grand structure now a crumbling relic against the darkening sky. The sound of the waves crashing against the rocks below added a the rhythmic backdrop to their cautious steps.

"I always wanted to see a lighthouse up close," Isabella murmured, her voice tinged with both awe and apprehension.

"Yeah, but not one that looks like it's about to collapse," Ezekiel replied, eyeing the unstable structure warily.

As they approached, they noticed the heavy wooden door was slightly ajar, creaking with the wind.

Serapha led the way, her flashlight illuminating the dark, musty interior. The air inside was thick with the smell of dampness and decay.

"Be careful," Adrian warned, his rational mind already calculating the risks. "This place looks like it hasn't been touched in decades."

They moved cautiously through the narrow corridor that led to the spiral staircase. The metal steps groaned under their weight, echoing eerily in the confined space. The higher they climbed, the colder and darker it became.

Finally, they reached the top, stepping into the lantern room where the great beacon once shonthat e that out to sea. Now, it was a desolate space, with broken glass and rusted machinery scattered around.

As they searched the room, Serapha's flashlight flickered over a small ornate box hidden among the debris. She hesitated, then slowly opened it, revealing two small, shriveled objects that looked disturbingly like preserved kidneys.

"Found them,'' she announced, her voice steady despite the queasiness that twisted her stomach.

"Why am I not surprised?" Adrian sighed, looking away from the unsettling sight.

"Because it's all part of the game,'' Omari's voice suddenly filled the room, startling them. He had followed them to the lighthouse and now stood at the entrance, watching them intently.

"You again," Gabriel said, a hint of irritation in his voice. "Do you ever not sneak up on people?"

Omari shrugged nonchalantly. "I'm just here to remind you, that it's just a game. Don't let it get into your head. These props are placed to make it more thrilling. You're doing well, just continue."

Linda frowned, sensing something off about Omari's reassurances, but she didn't voice her concerns. Instead, she kept a close eye on him, trying to discern his true intentions.

With the kidneys secured in Omari's hand once again, they made their way back down the treacherous staircase. The path back to their cabin was now shrouded in the deepening twilight, the island's shadows growing longer and more menacing.

"Why would someone go through all this trouble to set up such an elaborate game?" Isabella mused aloud as they walked.

"To scare the living daylights out of us, clearly," Oliver replied, though his attempt at humor fell flat.

"It's more than that," Adrian said thoughtfully. "There's something about this island, something that doesn't add up. These notes, these symbols... it feels like we're part of something bigger."

"Or maybe we're just overthinking it,' Gabriel suggested. "Let's just stick to the plan. We've got our notes, and we follow them. One step at a time."

Serapha nodded in agreement, though she couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched, guided even, by unseen forces.

As they reached their cabin, the group sat down to review their notes once more. Each one bore the next destination and a corresponding symbol. They knew their journey was far from over, and with each step, they were drawn deeper into the island's enigmatic grip.

Oliver's cabin door had been their starting point, Serapha's lighthouse revealed the kidneys, and now they were left to ponder the mysteries that lay ahead. The island's secrets beckoned them forward, and there was no turning back.

Omari's parting words echoed in their minds: "It's just a game. Don't take it to heart." But as they settled in for the night, none of them could ignore the growing sense of dread that gnawed at their thoughts.

They had embarked on a quest that promised excitement and thrill, but they were beginning to understand that the stakes were far higher than they had anticipated.

Tonight would bring the next challenge, and with it, another step closer to the truth behind the Forbidden Island.

KAN:Hello guys, the chapter 3 is finally here, this one is my fav chapter where the actual game begins. I hope you'll like this exciting chapter and don't forget to like, comment and vote to

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