Chapter IV

Masters and Shantelle looked with horror at the suddenly closed path ahead of them. The river they were sailing on had abruptly ended, transforming into a whirlpool with no escape route. It was a trap, perfectly hidden and cleverly set up. This cunning device, concealed beneath the surface along the current line, caught them completely off guard.

Shantelle and Masters watched as their means of transportation, the boat, slowly got pulled in by small but increasingly larger whirlpools. In this moment, they remembered the curse of the Tycjusznica. She had frightened them with her prophecy. She had said that the river would be their grave, and they had laughed at that. Now, as they looked into the abyss of the whirlpool, they understood that there was less and less to laugh about.

Masters managed to throw the anchor before the whirlpool became too strong. Shantelle, with remarkable composure, began searching the deck for anything that could help them. She paused for a moment, looking at the river still rushing its water into the sucking whirlpool. Fear appeared in their eyes, but so did determination.

Their situation was tragic, but they didn’t give up. They knew that if they didn’t take any action, the late Tycjusznica would triumph. They had to show that her curse had no control over them. They had to overcome the whirlpool, escape from this trap, and continue their journey along the river. It seemed like it would be the most difficult task they had faced so far. But they believed. They believed they would be able to survive this deadly trap.