What I'm seeing is similar to a scene from an action movie where the protagonist and his friends try to take down a monster-like opponent.
I rushed to help them. On the way, I could see Urick's hands slip each other. Each time it happens, he forced himself to regrip and lock his arms again. Aran tries to tackle Jin's left leg at the side to make sure he's giving Urick enough space, pushing till he stops and catches his breath. Fionn's also doing the same thing as Aran on Jin's other leg.
All the while, there is no change in Jin's expression. On the outside, he appears as if he doesn't even struggle or exert a good amount of force. Yet, just looking at the three people who plan to stop his movement, it is crystal clear how strong he is.
Watching them have a hard time, especially Aran, I went to him and help push the left leg. Since Aran is beside Jin's leg, I decided to go to the front. Positioning at the back is more logical to bend his knee, but Urick is there. Even with my help, Jin's left leg doesn't give in.
While helping Aran, I glanced back to Finnley and Amelka. Amelka still tries to get Finnley out of the rope that I've entangled him. Looking back, all I thought about is to immobilize him, and didn't consider what happens if the pill worked. I guess it's my fault.
Fionn also took a glimpse at them, "So the pill worked," He said.
"Yeah, it did. If we manage to make Jin swallow the pill, the charm or whatever condition he has will be lifted."
Urick also joined the conversation. His voice is quavering and he took pauses in between words.
"So… Go feed this bastard… the pill!" he said.
I told Aran to let go of Jin's leg and try to feed the pill to him. I saw Aran stand in front of Jin who was towering over him. He's like a toddler looking up to his parent. I haven't asked Jin's height but I assume it's around seven feet since even Finnley and Urick are inches shorter than him. Aran reached out of his pocket and pull out his first aid pill.
Then, he tried to reach Jin's mouth even standing on his forefoot. But, by just looking up, Jin made it even harder for Aran to touch his mouth. When he managed to, Aran said that he couldn't open it.
"Go for the nose! Pinch it so that he will need to breathe through his mouth!" I said.
Aran tried to reach for Jin's nose. But like Finnley, Jin began to shake his head. Jin's long braided hair also sways along his head.
If Fionn or I let go of Jin's leg, Jin might start kicking or put up a better fight. I kept thinking about how we could put the pill inside the mouth of this monster-like person.
"Dude… I'm about to die here! My… arms… bout to explode!"
After hearing Urick, I decided to let go of Jin's leg and started kicking at the back of his knee from an angle, avoiding Urick. Every time I kicked, it made his left leg bend a little but almost to the point that there was no difference.
Jin began to position himself better after knowing that his left leg is free. Because of this, Urick could feel Jin's strength even more and when I realized that what I did was a mistake, I gripped like a monkey on his leg again.
"Bro… My arms' bout to slip. This motherfucker's strong!"
Being a witness and experiencing everything that happened, Fionn decided to pull out his combat knife without saying a word.
"What are you doing?" I asked.
He let go of Jin's right leg and looked at me, "Let's hope the pill will heal this as well."
"What?"
Fionn began striking the back of Jin's leg using his combat knife. With great precision, he sliced it as if he were preparing meat for dinner. Urick saw what he was doing, he moved a bit backward to get out of his way and didn't argue since he was almost at his limit.
To be honest, I've also thought of doing what Fionn did. The rule almost shoves it to our faces that only killing is not allowed, unlike the first stage which says that harming other players is punishable by death. But, I couldn't do it. The thought of slicing someone with a knife makes me feel uneasy and seeing Fionn do it made me retched.
There's no change in Jin's expression. His eyes are still pure white as if it's all sclera. After busting Jin's right leg, Fionn gave it a soft kick. It bent like paper. Soon as Jin is about to fall, Urick let go, pushed him to the ground, and jumped behind him.
Without any cue or conversation, both Aran and I jumped into one of Jin's arms. I pinned Jin's right arm to the ground while Aran seems to be having a hard time trying to hold Jin's left arm.
At the same time, Fionn decided to slice the back of Jin's other leg, making him completely incapable of controlling them. He then sat around Jin's butt and held his legs above the knee. I'm a bit surprised that this rude, "serial killer" kid is a good team player, but when I remember his grin as he cut Jin's legs, I couldn't help but feel a little scared.
The four of us managed to pin Jin down to the ground. The only thing that is left for us to do is to put the first aid pill in his mouth. With that being said, Urick decided to wrap his arms around Jin's head, just like how I did with Finnley. Then, he pulled out his pill from one of his pockets and tried to feed it to him.
"His mouth's shut!"
"Pi-pinch his nose!" I said.
We all felt that if one of us leave our position, Jin might be capable of escaping and might injure one of us. With that in mind, we hold our post and could still feel Jin's never-ending strength in his struggles. Even around his lower body, Fionn shakes as Jin tries to throw him off.
"What do we do?" Aran asked.
Just like an angel sent from above, Amelka stood in front of us. We were all startled seeing her and peeked at Finnley who was still constricted by my rope that I made sure to be tight enough for him not to escape. She pinched Jin's nose as hard as she could just like with Finnley.
It took a bit longer this time, but Jin also opened his mouth as he begs for air to enter his body. Urick slapped the pill to his mouth and then closed it shut. The rope that was supposed to tie up Jin, lay on the ground and slither around everyone.
After swallowing the pill, the strength that Jin exerts and we all could feel, calmed down. We also let go of our strength and straighten our bodies but still sit around Jin's back while we catch our breaths.
The wound on Jin's legs that Fionn inflicted started to heal. One by one, we stood up and lie down on the barren land breathing aloud and trying to recover as much strength as we can.
"Man… I'm so tired," Urick said.
Everyone else including me didn't say a word and is busy just breathing. From a good distance, we could hear Finnley speaking.
"Uhm. Guys? Help me get out of the rope, please? I kind of don't feel my arms now."
Amelka stood close to me, casting a silhouette down my face. She stared at me as I breathed in and out with my eyes blinking slowly.
In a soft voice, I asked, "What?"
She pointed at Finnley. I understood what she was trying to say even though she didn't actually say a single word. Yeah, that's my fault, I thought.
I forced myself up and sat down. Aran, Urick, and Fionn are still resting on the ground even closing their eyes for a minute. Jin is still unconscious but we know that the pill works so we just waited for him.
After glancing at everyone, my attention is now directed at Amelka. I shook my head upwards a couple of times and said,
"Yeah, yeah. I got it."
When I tried to stand up, Amelka assisted me by grabbing my arm and pulling me up.
"Thanks," I said.
"It's nothing."
Both Amelka and I tried to release Finnley out of his binds, created by yours truly. I didn't even realize up till now how tied up the rope is and how I was capable of doing such knots.
"I think, I also cannot feel my legs anymore," Finnley said.
As we tried our best and made progress, Jin woke up. He shook his head and looked at everyone who was lying on the ground.
"Wha-what happened?"
Still lying down, Urick pulled his head towards his chest to look at Jin who is sitting on the ground scratching his forehead.
"Bro, it's cause of you! Gorilla-ass bastard!"
Confused, Jin continues to scratch the back of his head.
"Ah. Fuck it," Urick said as he rests his head on the ground.
While removing the rope from Finnley, I looked in the distance to see the other players still fighting each other. It's either they didn't know that the pills work or they just don't want to use their pill on another player.
Then all of a sudden, the thundering noise started again. The tower released a stronger wind this time.
"Don't look at the tower!" I shouted.
My eyes were still directed at the players in the distance. I saw the ones who were trying to attack the others turned to stone. Then when the gust of wind ended, they cracked and turned to dust which became part of this barren wasteland.