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Chapter 7 - Moss' Call
A sudden coldness ran down his back as the moss' pulse intensified, its glow brightening as the voice in his head repeated its demand. The urge to flee came over him like a wave, but his legs refused to move.
"Wh-what..."
His hand trembled as he lifted it off the wall. The voice remained silent, and Kyrios gulped, taking a deep breath to calm himself. He glanced around, searching for any other paths that might lead out of there, but all he saw was the dimly illuminated passageway. It was an endless array of dead-ends. He wasn't even sure if he could see all of them; the darkness hid secrets well.
Ultimately, he decided to follow the moss' instructions, figuring it was his only hope of survival. Even so, each step felt like a gamble, as if he were treading on the brink of a precipice. And aside from his unstable footsteps, the silence weighed heavily on his shoulders.
This time, the moss showed him a different way as the chambers became more palpable. The walls closed around him, feeling almost suffocating with their oppressive presence. The air grew more stale, thick with a formless omen. There was no turning back now. His fate seemed intertwined with the mysterious voice that had beckoned him.
He strained his ears, touching the moss again, hoping for any sigh, any guidance. But the voice remained elusive. It remained as silent as a gravestone. Time stretched; the minutes blended into hours. Beads of sweat trickled down his forehead, and his heart pounded. In these moments of exhaustion, he wanted to collapse to his knees, and his body pleaded for respite. Still, he continued on, defying the pull of weariness. Resolve was etched on his face as he pushed onward, staying vigilant to any disturbance.
And finally, as he rounded a final corner, the path opened up before him. At the end of the hall was a small, almost inconspicuous hole that resembled an old cellar entrance.
Kyrios's weary legs stumbled forward, his body swaying with exhaustion. Each step felt heavier than the last, his vision blurring at the edges. He strained to maintain focus on the small entrance at the end of the hall, a glimmer of hope in his hazy mind. As he reached the threshold, his energy plummeted. His legs gave way beneath him, and he collapsed to the ground. Fatigue surged through his battered body, overshadowed by encroaching drowse. His head felt heavy, even against the ground, struggling against the pull of unconsciousness. His eyelids fluttered, his breath shallow, and his fingers twitched, clawing at the ground. He mustered the last ounce of strength to crawl toward the entrance, but it was a futile effort.
And eventually, his eyes shut.
***
Elora stood at the edge of the hill, staring at the Nordic valley before the horizon. The sky stretched out in a serene shade of aqua blue, adorned with fluffy clouds that seemed to merge seamlessly with the distant mountains. Lakes glistened as they reflected the sun's golden radiance, shimmering like jewels in the distance. The forested area that lay between her and the valley was as scenic as she had imagined, and a sense of peace filled her heart.
The picturesque setting captivated her, distracting her from the mission at hand. Spring was bliss; what a pity she couldn't spend it on a picnic or a hiking trip.
[https://i.imgur.com/M63z1mK.png]
"Hey, don't daydream, princess. We got shit to do."
Elora glanced back at her comrade, a black-haired warrior almost twice her size. She let out an exasperated sigh, blowing away the mosquito that landed on her forearm.
"Kai, don't call me that. I'm not a princess."
"Tsk, whatever."
He crossed his arms over his broad chest, glancing annoyed back at her. "Can someone remind me why we brought a kid with us?"
"I'm not a kid; I'm 20," she retorted with a similar attitude.
"You look 12," he shot back, giving her a wry smile.
Elora sighed, trying to suppress her irritation. They didn't have the luxury of wasting time arguing amongst themselves. Still, she groaned, sliding her hands over her face in irritation. "I don't look 12. And I'm way above the average height for my race. Not my fault you're over two meters."
"Sounds like a fat compliment to me," he teased.
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"Just leave her alone, Kai." A mage dressed in green cut him off. "Elora is the one who discovered the Rift entrance in the first place. Don't be a douche to her."
"Alright, whatever," Kai said, lifting his hands in surrender.
"Thanks, Zeke." Elora's eyes flickered with gratitude. He was an elder, a veteran mage specializing in nature's strength. Although he couldn't keep up with the youngsters, his experience made up for his withering body. Though, she couldn't bear his excessively long ropes that got stuck in every branch they passed.
Delving deeper into the valley, Elora paused to survey the landscape. Her eyes darted across the vast fields of swaying grass. "Are we sure this is the spot?" She asked, trying to mask her skepticism.
Kai shrugged, his nonchalant demeanor matching his casual response, "I dunno. Ask Zeke."
"Eira is the one with the map," he added, gesturing towards the red-haired archer with a nod. "I gave it to her a while ago."
Their attention shifted to Eira, a highly skilled archer with a quiver of arrows slung across her back. The fiery hue of her hair mirrored her vibrant presence, adding a touch of dynamism to the group.
"Uh... Ehh... I gave it to Ashen."
Elora and Kai exchanged a quick glance, their eyebrows knitting together in mutual curiosity. Her voice carried a tinge of confusion as she asked, "Who's Ashen?"
She gestured toward the taller figure dressed in black. "Him. You don't remember?"
"Oh, right. My bad."
Ashen had never really introduced himself. Since they met, he had remained mostly silent, blending into the background. Wielding two katanas and a single word a day, even Kai was a little afraid of him.
"I'm on your side for once, princess," Kai laughed. "I forgot he tagged along."
"Just... Ughh, whatever, Kai," she rolled her eyes. "So, what's the map saying?"
Ashen pulled down his face mask as the group watched in great anticipation of his daily sentence.
"I threw it away."
Silence.
"YOU WHAT?!" Kai roared, his voice booming. "What the hell were you thinking, Ashen?!"
Eira burst into laughter, doubling over with mirth. "Aha, hahaha. I can't believe it."
Elora and Zeke glanced at each other, their expressions shifting to bewilderment.
"Ashen..." Zeke sighed. He sat down on a nearby rock, shaking his head in disbelief. "Why? What were you thinking?"
Ashen stood silently, his shoulders drooping a little. Then, he pointed at the nearby mountain range we had recently wandered through. "Because it's over there."
"Over there?" they all exclaimed.
"Yes," Ashen nodded.
Elora shook her head in dismay. "Why didn't you tell us? We wasted so much time..." She turned back to her group with a defeated expression. "We're going back. This is unbelievable. I can't believe I walked all the way here for nothing."
Eira stifled a laugh with her hands. "Aw, come on, don't be so down. We're surrounded by this breathtaking scenery over here." She stretched her arms behind her head, closing her eyes and wearing a playful smile. "Who knows, maybe this is our last chance to soak in the beauty of the blue sky."
Elora glared at her with a straight face. "You say some pretty dark things sometimes."
"Do I?" Eira smirked.
"Let's just get going," Kai cut in. "Look, we already wasted enough time as it is. Any clues we find may save hundreds of lives. And then, I'll have a godly reputation, aha!" He rubbed his hands together and glanced around at his companions with a smug grin.
Eira laughed, "That's why you joined the mission? To get a good reputation?"
"Hell yeah. Once I stop the Rift, all the big, muscular ladies back home will fawn over me like always."
Elora rolled her eyes, a soft chuckle escaping her lips. "Your orc fetish is hopeless. Though I can't blame you for liking women of at least half your size."
"Awww, princess, that's the sweetest thing you've ever said to me," he joked, feigning a teary-eyed expression. "Maybe I was too harsh on you?"
"Are you calling her princess 'cause you like her?" Eira teased. She ran up to Elora, raising and clenching her biceps. "Look, she's pretty toned in my eyes.
Elora swatted Eira's hand away. "Stop it. It's weird."
"Alright, enough, guys. We're wasting time." Kai gave them a stern look, but he couldn't hide his grin. He was genuinely happy to be with them. "Ashen, lead the way."
Ashen nodded, lifting his head up to the sky. A warm breeze caressed his cheek, and he inhaled deeply, taking in the sweet scent of nature. The grass rustled beneath their feet, tickling their ankles. They began to walk, leaving the tranquil scene behind them. The fields gradually became desolate as they neared the base of the mountain.
"This is definitely the place," Elora murmured, looking around at the barren wasteland. "It's completely different from the grassy valley. I can't believe we walked right past it."
Zeke nodded, his gaze sweeping across the surroundings. "Just a few steps to the right, and we'd be in a whole different enviroment. This Rift seems to have devoured any signs of life within a small radius. It hadn't received any sacrifices at all since it appeared, which is only natural considering that no one resides here." He turned his attention back to Elora, offering her a thumbs-up. "Thank goodness you stumbled upon this place so swiftly. Otherwise, this forest would have been lost. Amazing job, Elora."
"Ah, hardly. I'm not as smart as you, Zeke." She grinned, giving him a grateful pat on the shoulder. "Anyway, I think this is it. We can't even see the grass anymore."
"Yeah, we're about to cross into the other side," Eira noted, taking a quick glance around the area. "It's so weird. The air feels different. It's not quite the smell; it's more like a feeling in my gut."
Kai let out a low growl, his eyes narrowing as he tried to sense any disturbances around him. "I know what you mean. The air is heavy here like something's about to happen. I feel like─! Woah!" He barely managed to evade a perilous tumble, narrowly avoiding the gaping maw of an immense sinkhole that loomed at the edge of his path.
"Watch your step, blockhead," Elora pointed at the chasm right in front of him. "You nearly took a plunge."
Undeterred, he swiftly hopped down without a second thought. "A fall this small won't kill me, but perhaps a midget like you," he grumbled as he descended through the air, landing with a solid thud. "Need me to catch you, princess?"
"Tsk... Over my dead body," she sneered, a mischievous glint in her eyes as she stretched her legs in a quick warm-up. "And if you call me princess again, I'm going to kick your ass."
"Sure, princess," he mocked, a smirk playing on his lips.
With a defiant glare, Elora braced herself, her calves primed for action. And as their banter hung in the air, they leaped into the abyss, watching as the shadow drowned them, one by one.