The air had thickened with every step, pressing against us like a living force. The ancient tunnel's suffocating silence had swallowed all sound except the faint hiss of our oxygen masks. Their displays had flashed a grim warning—28% oxygen remaining. My headlamp's feeble beam had struggled to pierce the oppressive darkness, casting jittery shadows across the slick, uneven walls. They had glistened unnaturally, as if the tunnel itself had pulsed with sinister life.
Ayaka had led the way, her steps hesitant yet resolute, as if the sorceress's soul within her had guided her through half-forgotten memories. The rest of us had followed, nerves frayed after three grueling days of marching. Our bodies had screamed for rest, but there had been no stopping. Not there. Not then. The memory of Ayaka's fiery assault—and her impossible rebirth—had loomed over us like a storm cloud, heavy with unspoken dread.
Kaito had strode beside me, his katana glinting faintly on his back. "Ryan," he had whispered, his voice barely audible over the beep-beep of my mask's alarm. "Do you think she was really herself? Or was that sorceress just waiting for her moment?"
I hadn't answered right away. My eyes had stayed locked on Ayaka's frail silhouette ahead. Her every movement had felt weighted, as if something ancient and wrong had stirred within her. Behind us, Grace had muttered under her breath, her sharp gaze boring into me ever since our earlier talk about my "aura." Nora, at her side, had kept stealing glances at Ayaka, her face a mix of pity and suspicion.
The team had been fracturing—I could feel it. Every whispered word, every sidelong glance had dripped with doubt. We had been 120 kilometers deep in that labyrinth, surrounded by horrors beyond explanation. And then, one of our own might have been the greatest threat of all.
A Discovery in the Dark
Crunch!!
Ayaka had frozen, her hand shooting up. We had halted behind her, weapons drawn instinctively. My heart had pounded as I strained to hear what had caught her attention. The tunnel had been silent—too silent.
"There was a massive chasm ahead," Ayaka had said, her voice steady but tinged with caution. "I think… the teleport gate might have been down there."
We had prepared to descend. One by one, we had rappelled into the abyss, grappling hooks biting into the slick stone. The air had grown colder, the walls glistening with unnatural moisture, as if they had been alive and sweating. My headlamp had flickered, its beam wavering. Fzzzzt.
"This place felt… wrong," Daniel had muttered, his voice shaky. "It was too quiet. Too cold."
"Hmph," Mr. Jackson had grunted. "It felt like the calm before a storm."
Ayaka had turned to me, her eyes wide with unease. "Master, should we have kept going? I had a bad feeling. Something dangerous was waiting for us."
I had placed a hand on her shoulder, forcing confidence into my voice. "Don't worry, Ayaka. Trust in us—trust in me. As long as I was here, nothing would touch you."
Her fear had seemed to ease, and she had nodded. "Alright. Let's move forward."
We had pressed on, the tunnel narrowing around us. Then, far ahead, a faint glow had pierced the darkness. Shimmer.
Ayaka's voice had dropped to a whisper. "Master, that was it. The teleport gate. That was where the witch came from."
I had nodded, my throat tight. "So that was the gate. Thank you, Ayaka, for leading us this far."
We had advanced toward the glowing portal, hope flickering in our weary hearts. But then—
Rumble. The ground had trembled beneath us. A low, guttural groooar had echoed through the tunnel, shaking the walls. I had gripped my sword's hilt, eyes scanning the darkness. "Everyone, get ready!" I had shouted.
Thud. Thud. THUD. Something massive had emerged from the depths—a creature unlike anything we had ever seen. Its body had been a grotesque fusion of stone and flesh, jagged spines jutting from its back. Its head had been a featureless, rocky orb, radiating menace. The air had thickened with the stench of decay as its footsteps shook the earth. BOOM. BOOM.
"Ryan!" Kaito had yelled, unsheathing his katana with a sharp shing. "What the hell was that?!"
"No idea!" I had shouted back, my pulse racing. "But it was between us and the gate. We had to kill it—now!"
The Battle for the Gate
The beast had charged, its massive form barreling toward us. ROOOOAR!
Daniel and his soldiers had dived to the sides, their rifles spitting fire. Bang! Bang! Bang! Bullets had ricocheted harmlessly off the creature's stone-like hide, sparking in the dark. Albert, up front, had unleashed a barrage of grenades. BOOM! BOOM! Orange and white flashes had lit up the tunnel, but the beast hadn't faltered. It had roared, swinging a massive limb that sent Albert flying with a sickening crunch.
"Ayaka, stay back!" I had ordered, pushing her behind me. She had still been weak, her body trembling under the sorceress's influence. I couldn't risk her joining the fight—or worse, turning against us.
"But, Master, I wanted to fight!" she had protested, her voice desperate.
"No!" I had snapped. "You were exhausted. Leave this beast to me. I'll handle it."
Kaito had leaped into the fray, his katana flashing with deadly precision. "Blood Moon Slash!" he had roared, his blade glowing crimson as it sliced into the creature's side. SLASH! Sparks had flown, but the wound had been shallow, barely slowing the monster. It had retaliated with a swipe that nearly took Kaito's head off, forcing him to roll away with a grunt. WHOOSH!
My grip had tightened on my sword. My mask had beeped frantically—25% oxygen remaining. Time had been running out. "Kaito, like before! Distract it!" I had yelled, circling the beast.
"Got it!" Kaito had darted forward, his blade a blur of motion. Clang! Clang! The creature's eyeless gaze had locked onto him, and it had unleashed a deafening roar, slamming its fist into the ground. BOOM! The tunnel had shaken, rocks raining down around us.
That had been my chance. I had focused, feeling a familiar surge of energy course through my veins—the same power Grace and Nora had sensed earlier. I hadn't understood it, but there had been no time to question it. The world had slowed, my vision sharpening.
"Phantom Eclipse Strike!" I had roared, leaping into the air. My sword had blazed with pale blue light as I brought it down on the creature's neck. CRACK! The impact had reverberated through my arms, and for a moment, I had thought my blade would shatter. But then, with a sickening SPLURCH, the beast's head had torn free, black blood spraying like a geyser. It had staggered, then collapsed with a final THUD, shaking the tunnel one last time.
I had landed, gasping for breath, my mask screaming in protest. The team had gathered around the fallen monster, faces pale but relieved. "Nice work, Ryan," Kaito had said, clapping my shoulder. "But what was with that aura? Don't tell me it was just those fancy contact lenses."
I had ignored the question, turning to check on Ayaka. But then—twitch. The beast's body had shuddered. Twitch. Twitch.
"What the—?!" I had stumbled back as the creature had started to move again. How had it recovered after I severed its head?!
"Ryan!" Grace had rushed to my side, panting. "Look closely—there was a green stone in its chest. I had been watching it, and I thought if we destroyed that stone, it might finally die."
Her words had made sense. But I had been drained—my strength gone. I had staggered forward, sword raised, only to collapse. Grace had caught me before I hit the ground.
Kaito had sprinted past, his katana gleaming. "Ryan, why did you always hog the spotlight? Let me have a turn!" he had called, charging the beast.
The creature had roared, fully regenerated, and lunged at Kaito. ROAR! But he had been ready. With fluid grace, he had dodged its attacks, his blade dancing through the air. Clang! Clang! Seizing an opening, Kaito had unleashed his strike.
"Direct Combined Slash!" he had shouted, his katana glowing as it struck the green stone in the beast's chest. CRASH! The stone had shattered, and the creature had let out a final, agonized SCREEEEECH before collapsing, this time for good.
I had stared, awestruck at Kaito's power. "Not bad," I had muttered, managing a weak grin.
We had turned to the teleport gate, its glow beckoning us forward. Together, we had stepped through.
A New World
The suffocating tunnel had given way to an impossible sight.
A cerulean sky had stretched endlessly above. Rolling green plains had shimmered under the sun's golden rays. In the distance, mountains had gleamed, their peaks kissed by cascading waterfalls.
It had felt like…
We had stepped into an entirely new world.
To be continued.