After my female body rejoined the group, we continued walking for a while longer, pushing through the dense vegetation and uneven terrain. Finally, we reached the spot where I had found the footprints earlier while exploring ahead with my female body, Noa.
Oliver was the first to notice them on the ground, partially covered by dry leaves and loose dirt, while Alice and Ethan were resting, sitting on a moss-covered rock, quietly catching their breath.
My male body, Justin, wasn't nearby either. Anyway, since Noa was the one who found the footprints, it didn't make much sense for me to comment—unless Oliver asked for my opinion. So, I decided to keep my attention focused on the surroundings while quietly listening to the conversation.
Through my left eye—the only one through which I could see from Noa's perspective—I silently watched as Oliver carefully examined the footprints. Deep down, something told me he would come to the same conclusion as I had.
While my thoughts wandered with that instinctive certainty, Oliver's voice broke the silence, steady and thoughtful: "Just as you suspected, these do look like bear tracks. I've been on some trails with my family, and where we used to go, marks like these were common. But... these are nearly three times the size of a brown bear's footprint"
Oliver's eyes narrowed after saying that. Then he went on, his tone growing heavier, filled with concern: "They're definitely footprints of a bear-like monster... but way bigger than any I've ever seen"
What followed was complete silence. The only sound was the whisper of the wind gently stirring some dry leaves scattered on the ground. But then a new noise started to stand out—the rhythmic sound of raindrops hitting branches, rocks, and the damp earth.
At first faint, the sound grew steadily louder, drawing everyone's attention. One by one, they lifted their eyes, trying to see through the whitish mist that covered the forest, searching for something that might be hiding beyond that gray curtain of rain.
As, like the others, I watched the pale sky hanging over the silent woods, Oliver's voice cut through the air—calm, but with a hint of urgency: "Justin, Noa... can I talk to you guys?"
Both my male body, Justin, and female body, Noa, looked at Oliver for a few seconds before silently nodding. Personally, I saw no reason to refuse. Besides, I already had an idea what he wanted to discuss—and honestly, that was exactly what I wanted to talk to him about too.
So, we stepped away from Alice and Ethan—far enough to have a private conversation. Oliver gave one last glance toward them, as if making sure they were okay, before turning first to Noa, then to Justin. His expression was serious, voice low and controlled: "What do you two think about that cave?"
I paused for a moment to think after hearing Oliver's question. But honestly, there wasn't much to consider: "Personally, I think it's a good place to use as a base. I don't know when—or if—we'll find anything better" Noa said. Her female voice rang clear and firm, leaving a sense of decision in the air.
"We also need to consider it's about to rain. And besides the fact that we're all hurt, catching a cold now is a luxury we just can't afford" I added, Justin's voice echoing through the quiet surroundings, filled with urgency and worry.
Oliver nodded slowly, but his face soon took on a pensive look. His gaze drifted around, settling on the whitish mist ahead—a thick mass swallowing everything in silence, making it impossible to see anything beyond that opaque veil. He stayed like that for a while, as if trying to decipher something invisible, then let out a heavy sigh. His features hardened, and guilt was visible in his eyes.
"I'm going to be honest with you" he began, his voice loaded with concern: "Ethan is out of the question when it comes to helping us take the cave. And I don't want to take Alice, not when we don't even know what we're dealing with. If this thing is way stronger than we expect..." he swallowed hard, tension tightening his throat: "I don't want to carry the weight of losing my girlfriend because of reckless decisions"
Oliver took a deep breath, gathering strength, and continued: "If we're really going to do this, it'll have to be just the three of us. Are you both okay with that?"
I heard Oliver's words silently, as our bodies, side by side, showed an outward calm that didn't reflect the inner storm. Honestly, I didn't care much about the situation. To be honest, I could even understand Oliver's point. Like he said, taking Ethan right now would basically be a death sentence.
Besides, bringing Alice wouldn't change much. Her ability was definitely valuable, but even she had her limits. Alice barely managed to paralyze the centipede earlier, and the creature that left those footprints in the forest was clearly much stronger and more dangerous than the centipede. Bringing Alice would only add another worry to our already heavy load.
In the end, after making our decision, we went back to where Ethan and Alice were waiting for us. The hardest part was probably explaining to them what we were going to do next. Ethan stayed silent the whole time—after all, even if he wanted to help, in his current state he knew he'd be more of a burden than a help. But without a doubt, the worst part was seeing Alice's reaction. Her gaze grew heavy, mixing sadness and worry, as if every word she'd heard weighed on her like a stone.
"I'm coming with you!" Alice said firmly, her eyes shining with determination and not a hint of doubt: "I'm sure I can be helpful!" Her voice sounded confident, and on her face, you could see the courage driving her — making it clear she wasn't backing down.
In a way, Alice had a point. For starters, she wasn't as injured as we were — in fact, she had the fewest visible wounds. Plus, as she pointed out herself, her power was definitely extremely useful for the group. Still, as valuable as it was, it wouldn't mean much if it just didn't work when we needed it most.
"Alice, it's not about being useful or not" Oliver said, his voice steady but heavy with concern: "I know it might sound selfish of me, given where we are, but I want to keep you from taking unnecessary risks. Especially when we can avoid them. I'm not saying your help won't be important later, just that right now, instead of risking ourselves for no good reason, it's better to preserve our strength"
But even after Oliver's words, Alice didn't seem willing to give up. Her eyes sparkled with a mix of worry and resolve as she spoke, almost pleading: "But... what if something happens and I'm not there? You could die, and I couldn't live with the guilt knowing I could have saved you. My sister was healed, and I feel like I can make a difference in this fight. Please, Oliver, let me help"
Hearing Alice's words, Oliver frowned, doubt and hesitation washing over his face. To me, it was clear he didn't quite know how to argue against what she said — her words felt too heavy to contest in that moment. Still, if we were being realistic, bringing Alice along was indeed too risky, something that could make an already delicate situation worse.
"To be honest" I began, catching their attention with my firm, masculine voice echoing through the space: "I think Oliver's right. Alice, you're definitely our biggest asset. But still, you're weaker compared to the rest of us. We don't know what kind of monster left those footprints, and if your power doesn't work against it, I don't see how we can fight with peace of mind, knowing you might be in danger"
Alice finally seemed to reconsider after hearing me. Her eyes flickered hesitantly between Oliver and me, like she was searching for a counter-argument that wasn't there. The silence between us was heavy, and she seemed to comb through her mind for a response — but nothing came. Finally, she bit her lower lip nervously and resignedly, then slowly lowered her head, surrendering to a silent, almost imperceptible defeat.
"Anyway, you don't have to worry so much" my female voice said firmly, yet calm: "We're not suicidal; it doesn't make sense to fight a battle we know we can't win. All we're going to do is assess the situation. If it looks like we can handle it, we'll move forward. If not, we'll retreat without hesitation"
Alice just nodded quietly, her eyes reflecting a mix of relief and apprehension at the certainty in my voice.
Though it was obvious Alice wasn't fully on board with the idea, in the end, we didn't have much choice. Besides, even though I left out some details, what I told you is the pure truth. It's not like we were just going to rush in and fight a battle that would surely kill us.
Like I said, we're not suicidal. First, we'll carefully analyze the situation to understand exactly what we're dealing with. Only then, once we have a clear picture, will we face whatever's inside the cave.
Anyway, after we warned Ethan and Alice, Oliver and I headed toward the cave. In the end, there wasn't much to take that would really help us, so we decided to just follow the path I remembered seeing.
"How strong do you think that monster could be?" Oliver asked, his eyes fixed on the path ahead as we walked along the quiet trail.
Hearing his question, I fell silent for a moment, thinking it over. Honestly, I wasn't so sure. In the end, what really made a monster strong? The centipede was definitely powerful — fast in its movements and tough-bodied. But when I compared it to Queen Yaktha, the one I fought deep inside that dungeon, it didn't quite measure up.
With those thoughts spinning in my head, I answered Oliver's question: "I think... it's stronger than the centipede we fought" said my male body in a thoughtful tone: "Probably twice as strong" added my female body, more directly.
During the rest of the walk, a heavy silence hung between us, as if the atmosphere itself effortlessly created a tense mood filled with anticipation. The air was cold, and the sound of our footsteps echoed softly among the trees. After a few minutes, we finally caught sight of the cave's imposing entrance—dark and silent.
Unfortunately, we couldn't see inside the cave from where we stood. Although the entrance was visible, the rest of the space was plunged in complete darkness, as if the shadow inside was alive and dense. Without going in, it was impossible to make out any shapes or details.
Also, I don't know if it's just me, but from the moment my eyes landed on that opening, a sinister feeling started creeping over me, like something invisible and threatening was coming from the darkness.
Maybe my senses are sharper than usual, or maybe the cave really holds something terrifying. What I do know is that whatever lives in there isn't ordinary — it's clearly on the level of Queen Yaktha, maybe even stronger.
Oliver and I simply stopped at the cave's entrance. The silence was complete, broken only by the whisper of the wind making the leaves around us dance slowly. No other sound dared break the stillness — it felt like even time hesitated there. For a moment, our eyes met.
No words were needed; in the steady shine of his eyes, I saw the same determination beating in me — in both of my bodies, male and female, reflecting that same will. Without saying a thing, we just nodded, as if sealing a silent promise at that moment: we would face whatever was inside, defeat whatever guarded that place, and claim the cave as ours.