Blinded by darkness, Sky dropped several hundred meters before slamming into a steep incline and began sliding down. He struggled to hold on, but the jagged rocks gashed his hands on the way down. The steep slope leveled out, but not before he fell down another drop. This time, he landed face first on hard rocks and finally came to a stop on his side. The debris from the bridge soon found their way crashing down, barely missing him. He lay on his back, looking at where he came from and passed out.
Maia was trying to find a way down while others rushed out of the chambers to escape back to the vessel. Zain slowly being overcome with fear of this place. He considered joining the others back to the vessels, but she pulled his arm, stopping him.
“Please help me.” She begged him.
“I’m sorry. We have to get back to the vessel to leave.”
“I need you to help me find my son, please.”
Her words touched a nerve within him. At first he hesitated, but could feel the heavy heart she carried. He had family too, and the thought of letting someone else down was unbearable. He saw the tears streaming from her eyes. The chances of his surviving the fall were slim, but that didn’t matter; he was her world, and she wanted to reach him. He couldn’t bring himself to abandon her. Taking a deep breath, he composed himself and responded, 'Then first I shall help you.' She replied, 'Thank you.' Zain then called out to his men to assist the people ready to leave. They then backtracked themselves to where they knew they had already explored. She found a pathway they hadn’t explored, pathways the refugees didn’t think to go down.
The caverns in the mountain began shifting again. Pathways changing ever so subtly that no one would have noticed if they weren’t paying attention. The corridors became tighter, ceilings rose, pathways that once took left turned now went right and routes that weren’t open before had now revealed themselves. The shifting mountains revealed a cavern leading to the lower levels. Perhaps she would find her son there. She took it as a sign that whatever force she had prayed to was guiding her back to him. She rushed in first as soon as she saw the path was clear. Zain had trouble keeping up with her, but he couldn’t bring himself to be upset with a desperate mother trying to find her son.
Sky stirred from his daze, confusion swirling in his mind. It took him a moment to gather his bearings and rise to his feet. He didn’t feel pain until he tried to take a step and realized he was bleeding from his leg. The pain jolted him every time he put pressure on his knees, as if his kneecaps were cracked. He looked up above at the opening, the only place where light could find its way through, and began repeatedly yelling for his mother. His voice echoed back at him every time he tried.
There was no answer.
He was on his own.
He began talking to himself for good company. “Well, this is inconvenient.”
His eyes adjusted, but he could barely make out shapes in the darkness ahead of him. The black shadows had now turned to a dark blueish hue. He told himself he was okay, okay in the lowest depths of a dark mountain at night. Large rocks had caved in, trapping him in a deep cavern. Looking around, it seemed like he was at the very foundations of the mountain. He contemplated climbing his way back, but after looking up and feeling the pain and tension in his leg, he knew it was unlikely.
“Uh, no way I’m going to climb that.” He muttered to himself.
He found his bag and journal still in one piece. But then he noticed a set of foot tracks that weren’t his own. Someone else had once fallen here. The tracks led down the only path through which was through a long black corridor. As painful as it was for him, it was his only way out. Using the walls as support, he eased. Bathed in the cold shadows, it was so dark he almost couldn’t even see his own hand in front of his face. If someone were in the cave with him, he wouldn’t have noticed until they were standing directly in front of him. He shivered, brushing away that idea and continued on, each step taking every ounce of willpower he had. But he endured the pain. The thought of his mother being worried about him kept him going.
He needed to find his way back to her.
As he made his way further down the cavern corridors, light spilled in, revealing a path back up. Some rocks stacked on top of one another creating a crude stairway that led to an opening in the wall.
He was about to climb back up when he looked back one last time. Wanting to be certain he had missed nothing, or worse, that no one was behind him, he paused. He glimpsed a faint shining object in the sands nearby. A cluster of various armor and weaponry that had long rusted had surrounded it. It was as if someone had taken a huge cart of weapons and armor and had simply dumped it on the wayside here.
He approached the faintly glowing object in the sands, curiosity pulling him closer. As he brushed away the coarse sand, his breath caught in his throat. The strange gemstone of shining sapphire, held together by a golden chain, sparkled in the dim light.
‘What is this?’ he wondered, his heart racing.
But as he held it in his hands, warmth coursed through him. It feels alive, he thought, a shiver running down his spine. The glow intensified, illuminating the cavern walls with an otherworldly light. Sky’s thoughts dwelled on his mother. Was this how she felt every time she prayed? He longed to find her again.
Then, as if it had read his thoughts, a voice whispered from within the gemstone, faint. He couldn’t understand the words, but they felt familiar, as if they were calling out to him from some distant memory. Sky felt as though he had made a friend, a guardian, in this dark place.
“Well, it’s no good for you to be here by yourself. Alright, you’re coming with me.” He said.
With a deep breath, he placed the gemstone around his neck. For better or worse, this is my path now, he thought, feeling its warmth against his chest. The light dimmed slightly, but he could still sense its presence, urging him onward.
He began the arduous task of climbing back up the rocky slope. With his leg severely injured from the fall. He had to crawl on his back, using his other leg to push himself up. Yelling to stave off the pain and exhausted from the effort, he finally reached the top and rolled himself into the corridor. Sky fought to stay conscious, resisting the urge to pass out. When he didn’t have the strength to get up, he’d resort to rolling himself over, gathering momentum to reach the wall, forcing himself to stand. He felt a sense of relief to be at least out of the pit.
Things were looking up. That’s when he felt the rumbling of the mountain itself. Something within the mountain had caused it to stir.
'That’s not you by any chance, is it?' he joked to the new gemstone he had befriended. Of course, the gemstone remained silent.
“Okay, I’ll take that as a no.”
As he limped out of the pit and back into the surrounding corridors, he noticed unmistakable signs that a civilization had once lived here. The only sounds he could hear was a of a river and waterfall on the side of the walls. The tight, claustrophobic corridors had now opened and revealed a large underground hallway of religious murals. Ancient paintings and primitive carvings on the walls drew his eye. Dark figures surrounded an altar, their faces twisted with what looked like fervor and desperation. A swirling mass in the center seemed to beckon, a representation of a dark orb that sent chills down his spine.
What were they doing?
He wondered, feeling an unsettling connection to their plight. The outstretched arms of the figures hinted at a ritual. Below were inscription like runes, an alien language he did not understand.
“What is this?” He asked. He took out his journal and began sketching everything he saw. The gemstone began reacting, vibrating, agitated that Sky was standing there.
“Okay, fine, let me finish this. Patience is a virtue, you know.” He placed the journal away and looked around for a way out.
As Sky stepped back from the murals, the weight of their meaning pressed heavily on him. The figures, locked in their desperate ritual, seemed to mock his own struggle for survival. The silence of the cavern felt suffocating, amplifying the sense of isolation that surrounded him. He shuddered at the thought of what happened to the people who had once lived here.
Determined to shake off the dread, he reached for his journal; the pages waiting to capture the images that haunted him. He began sketching the swirling figures and the altar, pouring his emotions into the lines. The act of creation offered him a brief sense of control amidst the chaos. Just as he finished the last details, the ground beneath him trembled, a low rumble echoing through the cavern. Sky’s heart raced. Is the mountain shifting again? Panic gripped him as he glanced back at the darkening shadows, fear curling in his gut at the thought of being trapped.
I have to find my way back before it’s too late, he thought, forcing himself to remain calm. He turned, focusing on the path ahead, but the echoes of the murals lingered in his mind—a warning against the dangers that lay in the darkness. The gemstone around his neck pulsed softly, as if echoing his conflict.
A noise echoed through the cavern—a distant shout that sent a thrill of hope through him. The sound urged him to his feet. He needed to find them.
With renewed determination, Sky navigated through the shadows. The echo of voices grew louder, guiding him back toward the path he hoped would lead him to his companions.
Maia ran through the caverns so fast that Zain in his armor could barely keep up with her. Her footsteps echoed through the hallways and corridors, and it seemed a while before she even slowed down.
“Slow down, please!” Zain cried out. His armor racketing throughout the caves awakening even the old spirits who had once lived here. Maia eventually came to a stop, slowing to catch her breath.
“Do you even know where to go to look for him?” Zain asked.
With a placed hand on her heart, Maia slowed her breathing, closed her eyes as she calmed herself, trying to think of what to do, where to go. Even though thick rocks and concrete surrounded them, she could feel where her son was—it was a mother’s instinct. She would have to venture further down. She grabbed an old torch off the nearby wall and, upon lighting it with a tinderbox on her person, she and Zain took the dark steps further into the abyss. They wandered through various chasms connected by decaying stone bridges.
Openings in the chasm revealed white clouds that lit up the caves with a cold gray ambiance. The roaring sounds of a powerful waterfall came emerged from the darkness that ran under the stone like structures which they navigated ran through. They saw the remnants of past people who had once lived there. It looked like an underground city of white stone, lost to time. It was as if the mountain had swallowed a city that had once stood up itself. The only remains of life were the fossils of dead trees that once blossomed with leaves and of white flowers. The pristine walls had become a faded decayed gray, showing their cracks under the pressure of time. Maia followed a pathway down through twists and turns to the lowest levels, where the waterfall flowed into a river. Together with Zain, they navigated its darkened halls through to a blocked entrance. Rocks had collapsed, blocking any way forward, its weight proving too much for Maia or even Zain to move.
“We can’t get through. The entrance is blocked!” Maia said.
“Then allow me to make one.” Zain drew his weapon and concentrated as the blade glowed with white ink and smoke. Closing his eyes as he willed his sword to vibrate with energy.
Sky was still sketching for what was a short while, but he eventually could nail down every detail. As he finished sketching, he heard something from beyond the wall. Strong vibrations shook him from behind the walls. Then there was an explosion. A huge chunk of the wall across from him blew across, scattering rock and dust, powerful enough that he fell over. His heart leaped.
“Mom?” he shouted, his voice echoing against the stone walls, desperation coloring his tone.
The footsteps grew louder, and within moments, Maia and Zain appeared, their expressions a mixture of relief and concern.
As the dust settled, Maia and Zain appeared, following closely behind.
“Mom!” Sky’s face changed from dread to relief. His mother tightly embracing him, at least being able to see him again.
“My son, I was so worried!” She was brushing off all the dirt from his clothes. She gasped at the blood dripping from his leg. As she patched up his leg with whatever she cotton wraps she had on her, Zain checked to see if there were any other signs of injury.
“Thank you for searching for me. I thought you were going to leave without me.” Sky said.
“No one gets left behind, son,” Zain said. Sky smiled at the sentiment and felt a small sense of hope. Maybe they could get out of this yet.
Maia had finished with wrapping up his leg, he could walk and the pain was not as pronounced. They all noticed the enormous wall sized painting that Sky had just seen, his mother holding onto Sky, helped him to walk. Zain, nervous at the sight of it, took it as an ominous sign that they had well outstayed their welcome.
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“Come on, there’s nothing for us here. Everyone is back at the vessel. It’s time we get out of here together.” He said.
As they began moving, the mountain began shifting again. The walls surrounding them began breaking apart, caving them in, reacting to their intentions to leave.
An ominous atmosphere of dread began enveloping them.
“What is wrong with this mountain?” Sky asked, feeling more on edge.
“Something wants to keep us here.” Zain replied.
They immediately began backtracking the way they had come in, Sky having to endure the pain of climbing every step, but the promise of making it home lightened the burden. As they went through the abandoned, decaying structures, he noticed the same pieces of armor and weaponry that lay scattered around him. The same he had found around the gemstone he picked up, too many to be a coincidence. They had made it to the one bridge that connected the chasm to the caves that would lead them out, but at that moment, the mountain moved. The already weakened structure of the stone bridge gave way and collapsed, sending what remained of the bridge down into the black depths below. Their way out was gone, the openings above them that had once illuminated their way were now gone. The mountain was alive. Everyone shielded themselves from the dust, as the entire area was now swallowed by the darkness.
They couldn’t get out.
There was no other way but forward.
Feeling their way through the broken rocks, being careful not to step on or fall off anything. The gemstone began glowing, illuminating the surrounding area around them. The soft glow of the gemstone hanging around Sky’s neck caught everyone’s attention. He instinctively touched it, feeling its warmth against his skin.
“I found this in the pit after I fell,” he said, glancing up at Maia and Zain, their expressions a mix of curiosity and concern.
“It... helped me find my way.”
“Once we get to Elysian, we can talk about it. For now, let’s just take its help and leave.” Zain said. His mother said nothing, but simply smiled. It seemed as if her prayers had been answered, and good fortune might now favor them.
In the sea of shadows before them, they navigated through debris and suffocating dust. Venturing into the only opening revealed by the collapsed structure, they stepped into a vast emptiness reminiscent of ancient mines. Their footsteps echoed back, creating a haunting symphony of sound in the stillness.
As they walked, an unsettling chill hung in the air, thickening the surrounding atmosphere. A frost-like mist blanketed the ground, encasing everything in a thin layer of ice. Zain’s metal boots thudded heavily against the surface, occasionally cracking the ice beneath him, taking in the unnatural cold that surrounded them.
The high-pitched crack of ice reverberated in the stillness, and they could sense they were nearing the end of the room. Zain stepped over something and, expecting the familiar sound of cracking ice, jolted at the dull thud of wood and ash crumbling. Brushing his hands through the fog, he caught sight of a human hand, now a brittle, charred remnant, flattened underfoot.
The shock made everyone jump, with Sky nearly falling over. Realizing that they were now surrounded by bodies blackened as if burned, their mouths and eyes were wide open, frozen in the expression of terror. They didn’t smell of fire, but it was as if their bodies had simply dried up so quickly that their skin became like flakes, delicate to the touch.
He had no doubts when he saw the weapons they carried that several of them brandished an identical uniform and armor to his.
“I knew these men. We left on different ships at the same time. This is them, the other refugees.” He lamented the sight of his friends. But at least could console himself now knowing their ultimate fate. But still couldn’t figure out how it happened. Maia, noticing all the faces of the people frozen, pointed out.
“What are they looking at?” She said.
Sky and Zain followed their frozen gaze, turning towards what they were looking at in their last moments.
At the epicenter of it all, impossibly floating off the ground, a giant orb 3 meters in diameter made of black volcanic reflective glass. It stood upon a small platform of black and gray marble. It was in stark contrast to everything they had seen so far. The mountain and its construction were of rough stone, and yet this orb looked to be made perfectly by something foreign.
When they got close enough to see their own reflections. The gemstone Sky had found began reacting, vibrating violently and its light growing in its intensity. The orb released a powerful burst of energy, blowing away the surrounding mist, crumbling the fragile bodies to ash.
For a moment, there was complete silence, a heavy stillness that pressed down like a suffocating shroud. Then, deep within the facet of the black orb, something stirred. Images of swirling winds formed—chaotic, violent whispers that clawed at the edges of reality. It felt as if whatever lay within had finally awoken a dark consciousness that sensed their presence.
As if responding to a primal instinct, the orb opened its eyes—glaring voids that swallowed the surrounding light. Frost oozed from its surface, creeping along the floor, and the air grew sharp, the temperature plummeting to an unbearable chill.
A thick, black cloud spilled forth, hovering ominously above them, ever-shifting and chaotic. The faint, unmistakable sounds of people screaming drifted from the mist, echoing through the cavern like a macabre symphony of despair. The aura surrounding it felt thick and suffocating, like being submerged underwater and drowning in shadows that bled into their minds.
As the mist coalesced, a figure took shape—an impossible silhouette with arms too long to be natural. In its hands, it wielded razor-sharp khopeshes that glistened ominously in the dim light. Intricate black armor and flowing silk robes clothed its body, and each movement formed a disturbing ballet of grace and menace.
But it was the face—or the absence of one—that truly horrified them. Cloaked in darkness, the hood concealed its features, leaving only the oppressive void staring back. From beneath its torso, an ethereal mist poured out, revealing the distinct shapes of faces, frozen in expressions of terror—those it had consumed, forever trapped in the echoes of their last moments.
The entity floated toward them, a predator drawn by the scent of fear, its presence suffocating. Sky, Maia, and Zain could do nothing but watch in horror as the shadows enveloped them, their escape from reality slipping away with every heartbeat.
Sky’s mother picked up a nearby sword from one of the deceased, keeping her son in a tight grip. Zain stepped in front of them, shielding them both and sword in hand.
“Listen, I want you two to get back to the vessel.” He said, his sense of duty overcoming his dread. He was determined to get the two under his watch back to the vessel safely.
“You want us to leave you here?” Sky asked.
“Yes, go to Elysian and let the people know what happened here,” Zain urged, his voice steady despite the chaos surrounding them. He felt a heavy resolve settle in his chest, determined to ensure that their sacrifices would not be in vain.
With a swift motion, he tore his sigil medallion from the chain around his neck, the emblem of the royal insignia gleaming in the dim light. It felt like a piece of himself was being ripped away, a tangible symbol of his duty and honor. For a fleeting moment, a pang of regret washed over him, but he pushed it aside, knowing the weight of his responsibility.
He held the medallion in his palm for a brief second, his thumb brushing over the intricate design—the mark of his lineage and the legacy of his family. This is more than just a token; it’s proof of our existence.
With a final, determined look at Sky, Zain threw the medallion to him, the insignia spinning through the air, catching the faint light.
“Take this!” he commanded, urgency lacing his tone. “It’s evidence of what we faced here. Tell them what happened here.”
Sky reached out, catching the medallion in his hand, the cool metal pressing against his skin. A sense of gravity filled the moment; it was not just a medallion, but a burden of truth he now carried. He met Zain's gaze, seeing the fierce determination reflected in his eyes.
“Go! Live!” Zain urged, his voice rising above the chaos. The moment lingered, heavy with unspoken words and the weight of sacrifice.
“No, we go together. You said no one gets left behind.” He protested. Zain felt the irony of the situation cracked a smile and engaged his battle stance.
He held his sword close to his chest. He concentrated, focused. The sword in his hands glowed white with smoke bleeding from it. The air thickened around him as the entity loomed closer, shadows swirling in a chaotic dance. His heart raced, but he forced himself to stand tall, grounding his feet against the tremors of the mountain. I can’t let them see fear, he thought, casting a quick glance at Sky and Maia, who looked to him for strength.
His jaw tightened, and he gripped the hilt of his sword, knuckles turning white. The weight of responsibility pressed heavily on his shoulders as he took on the burden of unwavering duty.
As the entity’s dark form shifted, Zain took a step forward, placing himself between his companions and the encroaching darkness. His stance widened, muscles coiling like a spring, ready to act. I will hold it off, no matter the cost, he vowed silently, determination surging within him.
“Run!” He shouted to them. Sky’s mother dragged him out and began running as fast as they could, trying to find the way out.
The entity attempted to give chase. But its attention diverted.
“Hey! Over here!” Zain waved his weapon, calling out to it, attempting to give them as much time as he could. His weapon was beaming with energy. The entity charged toward him with blinding force.
“Take this!” with a swing of his charged sword and grip firm, he let out a strong downward swing. The entity changing its momentum instantly and moved around almost playfully, easily dodging the attack. The sword hit the ground, releasing a blast of energy powerful enough to break the ground in two, sending shock waves that reverberated throughout the hallway they were in.
“Go on, live! Survive!” Zain calling out to Sky and his mother, who kept looking back as they ran out.
The entity, armed with its weapon, lashed out with a single attack. Zain swung his weapon, expecting to clash with it. Impossibly, at the moment of impact of their weapons, his sword seemed to phase through its weapon, as if it were never there. The blade of the khopesh passing through his defense.
Zain felt a sharp pain in his chest, his breath catching as the world blurred around him. The weight of his sword felt heavier than ever, but he gritted his teeth, unwilling to fall. I can’t give up now, he thought, desperation clawing at him as he reached for his weapon, willing himself to fight for Sky and Maia’s sake. He looked as if the sharp edges of the entity’s khopesh had impaled him. Not enough to kill him instantly, but enough to cause unbearable pain. He couldn’t understand.
His weapon couldn’t touch the entity, as though it was living in a plain of existence out of phase of reality. Coughing out blood and struggling to breathe, he tried reaching out to the entity’s weapons with his hands, but his hands simply passed through, like he was touching through a gaseous substance.
Sky and his mother looked back, horrified hearing the agonized pains of their captain.
The entity effortlessly lifted Zain’s fatally wounded body off the ground, his form hanging limply in the grip of darkness. With its other hand, it reached forth, dagger-like fingers piercing the air as they inched closer to his face. The room felt colder, the very essence of life draining away as the entity pulled at Zain’s core—his very essence, a shimmering web of mist and liquid light.
Zain's body writhed, instinctively struggling against the inescapable pull. His strength drained from him as the entity's grip tightened. A chilling scream erupted from his throat, a sound of anguish and fear that echoed through the cavern, soon swallowed by the oppressive silence.
The entity consumed Zain’s spirit, silencing his cries as the darkness that hungered for his essence devoured him.
When the last remnants of his spirit ripped away, the entity loosened its grip, letting Zain’s lifeless body fall to the floor like a discarded rag doll. The once proud warrior was now nothing more than a husk, drained of all life and moisture, the vitality that had defined him now extinguished.
There was no grandeur in his end—no honor or glory, only a haunting stillness that filled the cavern. In that desolate moment, the weight of his sacrifice hung heavy in the air. If Sky and his mother didn’t escape, if they failed to tell his story, Zain’s name would fade into oblivion, lost to the shadows of this cursed place. The shadows closed in around them. Sky felt the chilling void of Zain’s absence, an icy dread settling in his chest.
It drew its khopeshes from its side; the blade glinting ominously in the dim light, like a predator stalking its prey. It turned its gaze toward them. The air thickened with malevolence as its hollow eyes locked onto theirs, a void that swallowed the surrounding light. A chilling sensation crawled up Sky’s spine, and he felt an instinctive terror grip his heart—a primal awareness that they were no longer just witnesses to the darkness; they were the hunted.