An hour had slipped by like sand through an hourglass as I ventured deeper into the labyrinthine cave. The air grew even colder, biting at my skin like tiny needles, each breath forming ghostly wisps that vanished into the oppressive darkness. The distant drip of water echoed through the silent corridors, a somber metronome marking the passage of time.
Hope flickered within me—a fragile flame in a sea of shadows. The memory of Michael's final words lingered, haunting echoes that I couldn't silence. Maybe I can still make things right, I told myself, clinging to that thought like a lifeline.
But hope can be a treacherous illusion.
I emerged into a vast cavern, and my heart sank as the sight unfolded before me. The ravine yawned wide—a gaping maw filled with the skeletal remains of countless soldiers. Their rusted armor and shattered weapons lay strewn about like the discarded toys of some cruel giant. A bitter wind whispered through the chasm, carrying with it the metallic tang of blood and the stale scent of decay. I was back where I had begun.
The enormity of my actions pressed down upon me, a crushing weight that stole the breath from my lungs. Had my words meant nothing? The promises I'd made to Rod echoed hollowly in my mind—vows broken as easily as brittle bones. I staggered to the edge of the precipice, my stomach twisting into knots. The nausea surged, and I doubled over, retching as the acrid taste of bile burned my throat. The remnants of last night's meager meal mingled with the bitter sting of regret.
Is this what I've become? I thought, wiping my mouth with a trembling hand. The cold seeping into my bones felt almost deserved—a penance for the path I'd chosen.
The ravine stretched endlessly, a scar upon the earth, filled with the silent testimony of lives extinguished. The stench of fresh death hung heavy, a noxious cloud that clawed at my senses. It was as if the very air was tainted by sorrow, each breath a reminder of the countless souls lost.
Rod... His name was a dagger to my heart. He would have abhorred what I'd become—a shadow of the person I once was. I was a good person once, wasn't I? The question echoed in my mind, but the answer felt distant, obscured by the haze of guilt and despair.
A cold, mocking laughter sliced through the silence, reverberating off the cavern walls. [Oh, that's rich coming from you,] Malice sneered, his voice dripping with sardonic amusement. It slithered into my thoughts like a serpent, coiling tightly around my conscience.
"Shut up," I whispered hoarsely, my voice barely audible over the faint howling of the wind. The sound of it was raw, as if scraped against stone.
[You spoiled little miscreant,] he continued relentlessly. [Calling you a 'Lèse-majesté' was generous. Do you even grasp the depths of your failures? You are a monarch unworthy of a crown or a cause. Thousands died because of you—you let others decide your fate, and now look where it has led you.]
His words were needles, piercing and precise, each one embedding itself deeper into the fabric of my self-loathing. I clenched my fists until my nails bit into my palms, the sharp pain grounding me.
"Enough!" I shouted, the word echoing into the abyss. "You're the reason I'm like this! You pushed me, manipulated me!" The accusation hung in the air, but even as I said it, doubt gnawed at the edges of my anger.
Malice's laughter swelled, a cruel symphony that filled the cavern. [Blame me if it soothes your fragile ego, but we both know the truth. You chose this path. You embraced the darkness willingly.]
I sank to my knees, the cold stone biting through my clothes. The weight of his words was suffocating, a leaden cloak that threatened to smother any remaining sliver of hope. Maybe he's right, I thought bitterly. Maybe this is all my fault.
Exhaustion washed over me, a relentless tide pulling me under. My eyelids grew heavy, and I yearned for just a moment of peace—a brief escape from the torment.
This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.
But the dungeon is a merciless warden.
A sharp, incessant clicking jolted me awake. The sound echoed through the cavern, a dissonant chorus that set my nerves on edge. It was like the ticking of some monstrous clock, each beat drawing nearer. My heart pounded in response, a wild drumbeat against my ribs.
I pushed myself to my feet, muscles protesting. The air had changed—no longer just cold, but charged with a palpable tension. A metallic scent pervaded the space, sharp and acrid, stinging my nostrils. It smelled of iron and decay, like blood left to fester.
Shadows danced at the edges of my vision, amorphous shapes that flickered and vanished. Low, guttural voices murmured from the depths of the darkness—a language rough and jagged, like stones grinding together.
"Malice," I whispered, throat tight. "Can you understand them?"
He was silent for a moment before his voice slithered into my mind, eerily calm. [They're searching for someone—You.]
A chill ran down my spine that had nothing to do with the cold. I reached up instinctively, fingers brushing against the key hanging heavy around my neck. It seemed to thrum with a life of its own, a silent heartbeat echoing mine.
They're coming for me. The realization settled like a stone in my gut. Panic flared, but I forced it down, swallowing hard. "Which way?" I demanded, eyes darting between the two looming tunnels that branched ahead—each one a gaping maw leading into unknown depths.
Malice's presence flickered at the edge of my thoughts. [Two paths lie before you, but neither offers safe passage. The choice is yours, but hesitation will be your undoing.]
Frustration and fear twisted inside me. "That's not helpful!" I hissed, the words escaping through gritted teeth.
[Nah I'm just messing with you. Take the left path.]
I eyed malice warily, not certain I could trust him. The clicking grew louder, more insistent—a relentless tide drawing ever closer. The voices rose, their tones sharpening into anger. Shadows began to coalesce at the far end of the cavern, figures emerging from the darkness like wraiths.
Think, Jamie. Think! I berated myself, forcing my mind to focus. The left tunnel sloped downward, a faint draft hinting at open spaces ahead. The right tunnel was narrower, the air stagnant and heavy.
"Fine," I muttered, making a split-second decision. I darted into the left tunnel, the uneven ground slick beneath my boots. The walls pressed close, jagged rocks scraping against my arms as I squeezed through narrow passages.
Behind me, the cacophony of pursuit intensified. The creatures' footsteps were a chaotic rhythm, a thunderous drumbeat that matched the frantic pounding of my heart.
They're faster than I thought. Panic clawed at me, but I pushed harder, lungs burning as I gulped the frigid air. The tunnel twisted and turned, a serpentine path that seemed to loop back on itself.
Suddenly, the floor tilted sharply downward. I lost my footing, skidding uncontrollably as the tunnel spat me out into a vast chamber. I tumbled across the slick stone, coming to a jarring halt against a cold, hard surface.
Groaning, I pushed myself up, wincing as pain flared along my side. The chamber was immense—a cathedral of darkness with a ceiling lost to shadows. Columns of stone rose like ancient sentinels, their surfaces etched with indecipherable symbols that seemed to writhe when I wasn't looking directly at them.
Above, at the tunnel's entrance, shadows gathered—a mass of twisted figures silhouetted against the dim light. Their eyes glinted with a malevolent glow, reflecting the faint luminescence of the cavern.
Trapped.
A cold dread settled over me, seeping into my very marrow. My hands tightened around the axe, knuckles white. The weight of it was both a comfort and a grim reminder of what was to come.
Malice's voice drifted through my mind, almost a whisper. [It seems your path has led you here, after all.]
I swallowed hard, throat dry as sand. "If you have any useful suggestions, now would be the time," I murmured, scanning the chamber for any possible escape.
He chuckled softly, a sound devoid of warmth. [Perhaps it's time to face what you've been running from.]
Anger flared, hot and sudden. "You're enjoying this, aren't you?" I spat, eyes snapping back to the advancing figures.
[Enjoyment is a human folly,] he replied coolly. [I merely observe.]
"Weren't you human back on Earth?"
But before malice could respond, the creatures began to descend, their movements unnaturally fluid. In the dim light, I couldn't make out their forms—all I could see were humanoid but distorted, limbs too long and joints bending at impossible angles. Their skin was a mottled gray, stretched taut over protruding bones in odd shapes like an insect.
Fear coiled in my stomach like a serpent, but beneath it simmered a grim determination. I won't go down without a fight.
"Come on, then," I whispered to myself, steadying my grip on the axe. The cold metal pressed against my palm, grounding me. "Let's finish this."