The morning was crisp as usual, the cool air brushing against Azad's face as he stood at the edge of a gaping cave. The entrance loomed before him like the mouth of some ancient beast, dark and foreboding, swallowing any trace of sunlight that dared enter. His breath formed small clouds in the air as he adjusted his armor and turned to Ellie, who stood next to him with her usual smirk, arms crossed. Beside her, Choco sat obediently, wagging his tail, oblivious to the ominous atmosphere around them.
"Here you go, Azad." Ellie tossed him a small sack filled with what felt like meat. "This jerky should last you a few days."
Azad caught it and raised an eyebrow, glancing at the bag and then back at her. "Meat jerky, huh? How thoughtful," he said, his voice heavy with sarcasm. He couldn't help but smirk, though. "Maybe you're not as heartless as you pretend to be."
"Don't get used to it," Ellie shot back with a wink. "Besides, you're going to need your strength. This isn't a vacation. It's your final trial. Make sure you survive."
Azad chuckled as he packed the jerky into his bag, kneeling down to give Choco a final pat on the head. The dog's tail wagged furiously as Azad scratched behind his ears. "Stay out of trouble, boy," he whispered. "I'll be back before you know it." Choco barked softly, licking his hand as if saying, "Hurry back."
Ellie stood back, watching their interaction with a knowing smile. "You know," she began, "if you keep petting that dog like he's some fragile little thing, he's going to forget how to be tough."
Azad scoffed, straightening up. "Choco's tougher than both of us combined," he said, earning another bark from his companion. "But fine, I'll leave him in your capable hands. Though I'm starting to wonder if you just want him for yourself."
"Maybe I do," Ellie said with a teasing grin, though her eyes softened for a moment. "But focus, Azad. This cave is no joke. Once you're inside, you're on your own until you make it out. Got it?"
"Yeah, yeah. I get it," Azad replied with a sigh. He adjusted his bag and took one last glance at the daylight behind him, then turned toward the dark mouth of the cave. "I guess it's just me, my iron sword, and this lovely armor I've been wearing for what feels like decades."
"Good luck, crybaby," Ellie called after him as he disappeared into the cave. Her voice echoed faintly off the stone walls. "Try not to die!"
Azad muttered under his breath, rolling his eyes. "Always with the crybaby. One of these days, I'll show her."
The moment he stepped deeper into the cave, the world outside vanished, swallowed by the darkness and the heavy stillness of the underground. The air here was damp, thick with the scent of earth and minerals. His torch flickered, casting long shadows on the jagged walls as he walked further in, the soft glow illuminating only a few feet ahead of him.
Azad sighed, his voice breaking the eerie silence. "So, here I am… Just me and the sound of my own footsteps," he murmured to himself. "All I've got are these tools—my trusty iron sword, pickaxe, axe, shield—and this damned armor that's been clinging to me forever."
He ran a hand over the dented metal of his chestplate, shaking his head. "At least she gave me some food," he added, a wry smile tugging at his lips. "Guess she isn't completely heartless after all. Could've sent me in here with nothing, but I've got torches, so that's something."
The tunnel seemed to stretch endlessly, winding deeper into the earth with every step. Azad's torchlight danced along the rocky walls, revealing clusters of sharp stalactites overhead, dripping slowly with condensation. Occasionally, he'd hear the distant sound of water trickling somewhere deeper within the cave system, but otherwise, the silence was almost oppressive.
"You'd think I'd be used to this by now," he muttered, more to keep himself company than anything else. "Surviving, fighting, digging through the earth like some mole... but no." He paused, leaning against the cave wall for a moment. "It's still unnerving."
The further he went, the more the walls of the cave began to close in around him. The flickering torchlight revealed rough-hewn stone, littered with the occasional glint of minerals embedded in the walls. With each step, the atmosphere grew heavier, colder. Azad shivered despite the layers of armor clinging to him. He could feel the weight of the earth pressing down on him, the depth of the cave making every breath feel thick and sluggish.
After walking for what felt like hours, Azad finally came to a stop. He looked around, the silence so profound that even the sound of his own breathing felt intrusive. "This looks deep enough," he mumbled to himself, pulling out his pickaxe. "Might as well start digging."
He struck the ground with his pickaxe, the sharp crack of metal against stone reverberating through the tunnel. The rhythmic sound of digging echoed back to him, filling the void of silence. Azad worked diligently, carving a staircase into the earth, each swing of his pickaxe pulling him deeper into the depths of the cave.
"One step at a time, right?" Azad muttered between swings, wiping sweat from his brow. "Just dig down, make two iron swords with the resources I can find, and get the hell out of here. Simple." He snorted, shaking his head. "As if anything's ever simple."
He continued digging, step by step, his body moving on autopilot. His mind, however, wandered. "What's waiting for me down here? More mobs? Or something worse?" He shuddered at the thought, remembering his recent encounter with the Enderman. "Hopefully, nothing that freaky..." The thought of those glowing blue eyes still sent a chill down his spine.
Hours seemed to pass, or maybe it was just minutes. Time lost meaning in the dark. His muscles ached, and his hands were raw from gripping the tools. "This better be worth it," Azad grumbled, taking a moment to rest. He glanced back up the stairway he'd dug, but the light from the cave entrance was long gone, swallowed by the darkness.
He sat down on one of the stone steps, pulling out a piece of jerky from the pack Ellie had given him. "Well, at least the food's decent," he muttered, taking a bite. The savory taste helped ground him for a moment, the familiar flavor a welcome break from the overwhelming silence.
Choco's image flashed in his mind, and he couldn't help but smile. "Bet you're having a better time up there, boy," he whispered to himself. "Probably chewing on something and keeping Ellie on her toes."
With a sigh, Azad stood again, gripping his pickaxe and continuing his descent into the unknown, each step bringing him closer to whatever lay hidden in the depths of the cave.