This is what next.
'Let's get going, then', said the chief as he quickly began descending.
By the time the group reacted, his figure was no longer in sight, having disappeared underground.
'Let's go!' urged Jason as he ran towards the staircase, dragging Seo-Jun and Daiki who were standing the closest to him, with Zhiren and Alice hurriedly following closely behind.
They started to rush down, going on for seconds, minutes and finally hours, their speed decreasing after every hundred or so steps as the air became thinner and their bodies heavier.
They dragged on, the path going straight down countless steps with neither the Chief nor an end in sight. They continued down, their calves burning around the thousandth step, their breathing became labored around the two thousandth step, and so they went on and on, not knowing how far they'll need to go and no one around to tell them.
'Ugh, What the hell! I can't do this anymore! Let's take a break, okay?' yelled Alice, nearly collapsing on to the three thousandth step.
'Yeah...hah, let's...hah, do that...', said Seo-Jun between struggled breaths, also taking a seat next to her.
The others immediately followed as if waiting for someone to say it first. Daiki took out a few bottles of water and handed one to each of them. They quickly gulped it down.
'At this rate, we'll die before getting there. Where did that guy go anyway? It's not like we were any later in going after him...', wondered Daiki.
'Should we just go back up? He'll come back eventually after some time passes and we're not there...', said Alice, hopelessly, leaning on the walls.
'After we've already come this far?!' retorted Zhiren.
'Think about it...we don't even know how far we'll have to go. I'm sure there's some trick to it considering how he suddenly disappeared.
'Maybe...', hesitantly agreed Seo-Jun.
'Okay...then let's go back', said Alice, standing back up while placing her palm on the wall for support.
But as she applied some pressure, the wall broke causing her to lose her footing, falling head first in to it, plunging straight down.
'Alice!' yelling the group, leaning over the edge to find some hint of her safety but there was nothing...It had all happened too quickly for any of them to react, though the devastation was evident on their faces.
They had become truly close, in the time they had known each other as close friends and perhaps even more...as almost family. Afterall, they had unknowingly spent a decade of life-and-death situations together.
'No...', mumbled Zhiren in a trembling voice between choked sobs. The other's weren't any better, already on the verge of collapsing but barely keeping it together. Their reactions were more instinctual, having been unable to completely process the possible death of their friend...and before they could, the stairs disappeared, becoming a flat slide.
And the group leaning over the edge lost their footing all falling to the bottom of the abyss, for a long time, with no end in sight.
And that is the story of how the prophesized heroes fell to their deaths, before their journey even began.
THE END
The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
Thank You For Reading...
The story ended not how you'd expect right? But I'm afraid that's all so...
(Players: Will you stop trolling them?)
Heh...yeah, sure. So, that's not exactly what happened y'see and don't worry the story's nowhere near finished. This is not the end...it's the beginning...the beginning of the end. (Who got that reference? Eh? Heh.)
Readers: =_=
Okay...I'll stop.
What happened was that the stairs were indeed a trap but for intruders...the Chief got too excited and forgot to explain how to get down. Actually, the group worked so hard in vain. The stairs were nothing but an illusion as in reality there were only ten which really would've continued forever until the person died or gave up.
There was no end, the real hidden room was in the walls which would open as soon as you pressed them. Of course given a person with the key would allow it, that was the Chief.
And they didn't fall at all, since it was flat ground, explained the Chief to the group of angry kids scowling at him with crossed arms.
He apologetically kept bowing and repenting for his mistake.
'So, we did all that for nothing then?' asked Daiki with a sigh.
'I'm sorry...', said Chief Lian, looking down. He got too caught up in looking cool and composed to make up for the night before and ended up making an even bigger fool of himself.
'That really scared us, you know...', said Zhiren, grumpily.
'Yes, I deeply apologize...', repeated Chief Lian.
'So...why did you bring us here anyway?' asked Seo-Jun pointing to the door ahead.
Currently, they were in a small, empty room with barely enough space to accommodate six people. The air was slightly stale, and the walls were made of smooth, cold stone, adding to the confined atmosphere. To the left of where they had entered, stood a single metallic door. It was imposing, crafted from heavy iron, and showed no signs of age, still shining with metallic luster.
In the center of the door was a keyhole, with nothing special. The keyhole itself was small but sturdy, made of polished brass that gleamed dimly in the faint light.
Chief Lian held the key for it in his hand. The key was equally simple, with a long, slender shaft, suggesting it was no more than just a simple key.
'Ah...yes! I'll show you now!' said Lian Zhong excitedly, his eyes lighting up as he raised his head to look at the group.
He walked to the door with measured steps, the key in his hand catching the light. The atmosphere was tense, each of the group's breaths held in anticipation. He inserted the key into the keyhole with a practiced motion, the metal sliding in smoothly.
As he turned the key, a loud clunk echoed through the small room, reverberating off the stone walls. The sound was deep and resonant, like ancient machinery coming to life after a long slumber.
Immediately, he stepped back, his eyes expectantly fixed on the door, his movements swift and precise, as if anticipating what was to come.
As he retreated, the surface of the door began to shift and transform. The previously solid metal started to ripple, like water disturbed by a pebble, and then reformed. Five sword-shaped spaces appeared, each one perfectly cut into the door.
These spaces were arranged in a straight line, one after the other, their sharp edges gleaming faintly. The transformation was mesmerizing, the metal flowing like liquid before solidifying into its new shape. The previously ordinary door now looked truly mysterious, with the sword-shaped indentations hinting at a deeper significance and a further challenge to be unlocked.
'Place your swords on the surface, please. I don't know the order...you'll have to try out different combinations and figure it out yourselves. Since I, myself, have never been able to go beyond this point. All I know is that I was entrusted with this key by the goddess and asked to lead the owners of the swords to the door one day, help and inform them as she instructed...', explain Chief Lian with a longing expression, looking in to space.
The group nodded, looking at each other.
'Then, let's follow the usual order', said Seo-Jun, wondering perhaps there was truly a deeper meaning to the order of their player numbers.
The group agreed and they stepped forwards each taking out their swords and placing them in at the same time.
Not surprisingly, the door showed a response.
The door shone brightly, emitting a radiant glow that illuminated the small room. As the light intensified, a faint line appeared in the middle of the door, slowly growing more distinct until it became a sharp, clear divide. The metallic sheen of the door seemed to ripple along this line, and with a final, resonant click, an unlocking sound echoed through the chamber.
They exchanged looks, a mixture of anticipation and determination in their eyes. Taking a collective breath, they pushed at the door. It yielded to their effort with surprising ease, swinging open forcefully. The sudden movement sent a rush of cool air into the room, and the door flew open, revealing whatever lay beyond its mysterious threshold.
To be continued...
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Lian Zhong: So, what is it?! What is it?!
Author: Just wait...
Lian Zhong: I've waited for over a millennia!
Author: Then, just wait some more! ╮(╯▽╰)╭
Lian Zhong: (￣┰￣*)
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