An awful smell assaulted Alphonse’s nose without his consent. It smells like some kind of meat? Alphonse thought as he turned towards the smell as Class A was opening an air locked bag filled with some sort of jerky. He wasn’t sure what it was, but he could eat anything right about now.

“Oh my, look at his face!” Felicia laughed, slapping her thigh.

“Hey buddy, you’re practically drooling there.” Markus said, his eyebrows raised. His hands fished out another one of those bags before flinging it over to Alphonse. “There’s enough to go around. Good luck.”

Alphonse ripped open the bag as the awful smell of highly condensed jerky shocked his senses. It was like someone combined hundreds of different meats into strips. Even with Alphonse’s beast-like senses, he couldn’t tell what meat it belonged to. “What is it?”

“Aye, about that Alphonse. It’s best if you don’t know.” Markus said. His bear-like arms shivered as he held back his gag reflex.

“Seriously.” Felecia bobbed her head up and down. She held her nose closed as she ripped off a piece of jerky with her pearly white teeth. As she swallowed it, her face turned red, and she resisted the urge to puke. She rushed to take a sip from her metal water container as she washed the jerky down before shivering.

Watching their reactions to the jerky, Alphonse looked at his own before chomping down. It was… bad. Bad was an understatement. It tasted like if lots of different meats that were not compatible had been combined then fermented in the sun for far too long. That said, Alphonse’s face didn't change at all. He was just happy to get rid of the stomach pains. The highly condensed jerky was perfect for satiating his hunger as it fell down into his bottomless stomach. Before long, he had eaten the entire packet, as he patted his belly with a smile on his face.

“You like that? What are you, a beast?” Haydon’s rare voice appeared, his eyebrows raised in disgust.

“Food is food” Alphonse said, a smile on his face as he watched Lucus stand up. Alphonse instinctively knew that the rest time was over. This may be the last bit of peace we get… Alphonse sighed as he stood up. He looked at the Class A in front of him. They seem like good people. Stretching his limbs, he readied himself for whatever they may face ahead.

“Alright everyone, are you ready? If you don’t wish to continue, I won’t force anyone.” Lucus’ calm gaze peered forwards, his eyes were as sharp as his sword as he looked at everyone in the group. From now on it was do or die.

Alphonse clenched his fists. If they didn’t complete the mission, then no one could. For his friends and to return home, he would complete it. “I’m ready.” His eyes turned focused as he looked at everyone beside him. He didn’t know who would make it out alive, but they had to finish this.

“What a fucking stupid question, Lucus. Let’s go.” Markus slammed his fists together, as the rest of Class A smiled.

Lucus gave off a rare smile as he turned around, his eyes peered deep into the forest. “Get in formation.”

“Let’s go!” Felecia pumped her fist into the air, as everyone's fully rested legs followed their leader.

It had already been a few hours as they carefully made their way through the forest. Thanks to Haydon and Alphonse, they went around for any potential dangerous threats. Alphonse was in awe at Lucus’ leading abilities. Every decision was instant and so far, every one of them was correct. He could use everyone's abilities perfectly. It felt like he was watching his group from above.

Alphonse looked down at his feet. The once green grass below had darkened into a dull grey. As the grass blades died under his feet, they thinned. The trees were the same. It was like something had sucked the life force from the land around this area. Everything was decaying…

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

Haydon approached from the front as Lucus stopped the group from walking. “I can’t go any further.”

“Blocked?” Lucus said, his hand rested on his sword's hilt.

Haydon gathered his breathing. “It’s better if you see for yourself.”

The group wandered through the decaying forest, branches collapsed around them as if the insides had been completely rotten and no longer had any life to them. Alphonse looked up at the split mountain as he suddenly felt tiny. ‘What is this feeling…’ Alphonse clutched his chest, his heart tightening at the sight of the split within the mountain. It felt like a honed knife slicing across his heart. Then, his eyes drifted downwards as the split opened up into a corridor. The passageway was so dark that he couldn’t make anything out in the distance.

“Gabriel, light up the path.” Lucus said as a tall young man with long hair walked forwards. He held a long staff in one hand and a book in the other. Gabriel stopped in front of the entrance and shoved the staff in front of him. Wind coarse around his body, his clothes and hair lifting because of the breeze. “Firefly.” His staff shone with a bright orange light and it shot forwards, into the abyss-like passageway.

Alphonse’s eyes opened wide as the hair on the back of his neck raised up. His body turned stiff at the sight of hundreds of hairy legs attempting to hide from the light. Thousands of eyes shone from the firefly light, their sickly fangs on full display. They shot deeper into the crevices in the rock wall.

“No, there is no fucking way, Lucus.’ Felecia shook her head. The sight of the monsters had turned her into a vibrating doll. Her usual antics were nowhere to be seen as the light from the spell lost its effect–the light whittled away.

“Haydon, is there any way around?” Lucus said.

“I’ve had a quick look, but didn’t get too far. There’s a hell of a lot of monsters around Lucus.” Haydon said. His eyes were serious.

“The map clearly told us we had to go through this passage.” Alphonse said, reminding them of the boulder.

“Well, I hate wasting time. At least this way we know what we’re up against.” Markus said.

“Unfortunately, Markus is right. We will be ready for the monster's ambush.” Lucus said.

“Well, you already have my answer.” Alphonse said.

“If the Class E recruit is going in, then I guess we all are.”

With the decision being made, Lucus gave Alphonse a spare flare from his bag as the group cracked them against their legs as they flashed to life. Lucus took the lead and walked in. As they were walking further, Alphonse saw the hairy legs, hiding in between the cracks in the walls. They were making strange sounds. They seemed to puff out air, but when it hit their fangs; it made a shrill sound that nipped their eardrums. Alphonse thrusted his flare to the wall as they scuttled further in the wall.

“Lucus, what are they doing?” Felecia said, as she closed her palms around her eardrums.

Lucus remained silent at the question. There was no way he knew the answer. No-one had ever seen these spider-like monsters before.

The passageway gradually opened up. Strange pod-like structures were fused to the rocky floor. The pods were pulsating, as a slimy substance was leaking from the top. They numbered in the thousands and they continued up the wall, further than they could see. They seemed endless. Then the hissing sound became louder.

One of the hairy legged monsters showed its body–a deformed human face with lines of razor-sharp teeth lay underneath the monster's abdomen. The monster began screeching. The fangs at the front vibrated from the sound. A putrid smell assaulted them as an abnormal liquid dripped down onto the floor. The drop of liquid sizzled the rocky ground as it emitted a nauseous gas.

“Fuck, it’s so loud!” Alphonse said, as he held his ears shut. His keen hearing was enhancing the sounds to the point he couldn’t bear it.

Alphonse watched as a sword slash illuminated the passageway. It carved the monster in two as its vile insides spilled down next to them.

“Run! Lucus shouted as the monsters jumped from the walls, their shrill screeches directed straight for them in the hundreds. All leaping at the same time.

“Gabriel, now!” The rushed command left Lucus’ mouth. A blazing fire more powerful than the previous light spell blasted all around them, like an umbrella protecting them from heavy rainfall. Alphonse could feel the intense heat as his skin turned red. Before the monsters could even leak their foul acid down below, the fire had already extinguished them.

The bright fire was disorientating. Felecia had to use her spare hand to block part of the light. Her foot caught with one stone on the ground as she stumbled forwards. Alphonse rushed forwards and placed his arms around her body, hoisting her back onto her feet.

“Thank you…” Felecia’s previous nonchalant demeanor was overwritten by terror. She had a feeling that they may die here…

“Now we’re even.” Alphonse said. His expression was serious. The fire spell was slowly disappearing. It looked like Gabriel was nearing his limits.