***

“Alright everyone, we better get a move on.” Lucus stood up, carefully putting on his backpack.

Alphonse recalled the giggling words that was transferred into his mind. “Lucus… What’s in the bag?” He wanted to ask back at the cathedral but a certain… something ruined that.

Lucus froze at the sudden words. “It’s the mission objective.” Lucus said, his hands grasping around the bag as he warily looked at everyone.

“That’s strange… Our mission objective from the system clearly says that we just need to find the secret of the Veiled Caverns.” Alphonse said. The constant stream of words scratching within his mind.

“Alphonse is right Lucus, what’s in the bag?” Gabriel said as he stood forwards.

With the thought that Lucus was hiding something from them, they all stood up, their eyes rested on him.

“After all these days of fighting for each other on the line between life and death, you’ve been hiding things from us?” Kristen said as she stood forwards. Her brows furrowed and clenched her fists.

Lucus sighed and shook his head. “I’m not hiding it deliberately… they have given me extra responsibility for this mission. “Lucus said and placed the bag onto the floor. He took out a strange-looking device. It was cylindrical in appearance and had a button on top of it. It looked hi tech.

Alphonse clutched his head. The voices were becoming wild… and louder. DESTROY IT DESTROY IT DESTROY IT. The words repeated themselves like an orchestra in his mind.

“Alphonse, are you okay?” Felecia lightly said, as she held onto his sleeve.

“I’m fine, it’s just the voices…” Alphonse shook his head–with his concentration–the voices gradually lessened.

“What is that?” Haydon walked forwards as he got a closer look at the device.

“I’m not sure… They didn’t tell me what it was. They just told me that if I was successful, I would see my family again.” Lucus said. His eyes were serious as he took back the device and placed it securely in his bag.

“Shit, can we see our family again?!” Markus’ eyes opened wide, it was the same for everyone else… there was hope gleaming within their eyes.

Lucus shook his head. “I do not know. All I know is that I’m going to complete the mission they have given me.”

“If it gives us a chance to see our family again, then… I’m in.” John said. Everyone else seemed to agree.

Alphonse thought of Tehya, her sweet little smile… but the words in his mind told him he must destroy it. One step at a time. Shaking his head, they set off into the passageways.

“I hope you don’t try to stop me, Alphonse.” Lucus said, his serious eyes glued to him.

“Why would I do that? I have family that I need to see as well, you know.” Alphonse said.

“I saw your eyes back there for a moment.”

“Yeah, well, that wasn’t me.” Alphonse said with a smile on his face.

Lucus shook his head. Can he really be trusted? He seems more like a monster than the ones we face here. He is uncontrollable and unpredictable. Lucus thought as he quickly hid his cold eyes.

The group continued through the passageway–Alphonse stopped–his hand outstretched, making the group grind to a halt.

“There’s something in the distance…” Alphonse’s darkvision peered forwards. He could just barely make out a humanoid figure standing within the shadows of the passageway.

Can you see what it is?” Haydon asked in surprise. Even he couldn’t see within this darkness.

“A little. It looks like something humanoid. An orc or something? It looks tall, that’s all I can see.” Alphonse shook his head.

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“Should we head back then and pick another passageway?” Felecia asked in a whispering voice, her staff tightly clenched up against her chest.

Alphonse was about to agree with her. Any chance they had to go around an enemy was the best. However, the voice inside his head told him to go forward.

“The voice inside my head is telling me to go that way.” Alphonse pointed toward the shadowy humanoid.

“Alphonse, the last time you picked where to go, we almost all died.” Gabriel said. “Besides, how the hell can we trust what the words inside your mind say? That’s insanity.”

“It’s up to you guys, but I need to go forward.” Alphonse said, his eyes glued ahead.

“Ah, will you guys stop being a bunch of chickenshit? forwards, backwards. What difference does it make? We would inevitably come up against a monster either way?” Markus stood at the front, his eyes glued ahead as if he could see the enemy.

“The meathead is right, at least following Alphonse we found something. Not just endless fucking passageways.” Tariq said.

“Who are you calling a meathead? It was your curiosity that wanted to go into that damned church and almost got us all killed.” Markus stepped closer towards Tariq, their foreheads almost touched together.

“Alright, are you sure you all want to go forward?” Lucus said as he spoke to the entire group.

With everyone nodding in approval, they started cautiously walking forwards in formation. As they got closer, Alphonse could see clearly within the darkness.

It wasn’t an Orc nor an Orog. It was an enormous man with long, curly hair. Fur grew out of his massive forearms with claws that adorned his fingers. Large, he wrapped bulky chains around his neck like a ship that was being anchored down to the floor.

“Oohh… It’s been a long time since any human has made it this far. The other humans put up a great fight–well–they still lost. Their bones forever lost within this never ending maze.” The beast-like man laughed. “I suppose I should congratulate you for making it through.”

Markus had his shield at the ready, his leg and arm pushed flush against the tower-like shield. The others had their skills at the ready. The power from their abilities was fluctuating within the room as the dust from the passageway spun around them.

Alphonse's eyes never once left the man. He could tell he was a fearsome opponent. All of his senses were screaming at him to run away, but the voice inside his mind strangely calmed him down. It was telling him it was okay to continue forward.

The beast-man was about to make a move when his head tilted to the side, his eyes opened wide as he stood rooted to the spot in shock. His massive frame stood to the side, revealing a jagged hold in the wall. There were no more passages. Alphonse could faintly see the jaggedness of a cave within the hole. The Veiled Caverns?!

“Well, your actual test is within. Who am I to stop the succession?” The beast man's eyes rested on Alphonse.

Alphonse was the first one to step forward, each stop followed the next, as he was soon in front of the tall beast-man. The man lowered his head as he stood further to the side.

“Let’s go.” Alphonse motioned to the others. His back disappeared within the hold of the wall.

The rest of the group looked at each other as they followed behind Alphonse. The hair rose on the back of their necks as they walked past the beast man. Lucus accidentally looked into the eyes of the beastman as he looked back at him. Lucus felt his skin crawl as a sudden intense feeling assaulted him. The beast man wanted to kill him.

Alphonse looked all around him. It was unmistakable. They were within a cave system. Large stalactites and stalagmites formed within the cavern. The sheer size of them meant this cave must have been millions of years old.

“So, we finally made it, then?” Markus looked around.

“Please don’t tell me there’s anything hidden in here.” Felecia’s meek body hid behind Markus as her little head bobbed around the cave walls.

“Based on our luck so far–I think that’s a guarantee–Felecia.” Tariq smiled.

“Stop taunting the poor girl, Tariq.” John said as he shook his head.

“It’s a bad idea getting into the bad books of our only healer.” Haydon added, a small smile forming on his lips.

“Bah, you’re just defending the only girl in the group.” Tariq snorted.

“Then what am I, Tariq?” Kristen’s fingers tapped her bow as her eyes shot daggers into Tariq’s body.

“Ah, umm. I didn’t mean it like that, Kristen. I just mean… th-that Felecia is more feminine, you know?” Tariq said, his eyes trying not to make eye contact with her.

“Feminine, huh.” Kristen nocked an arrow.

“Hey, what did that furry guy mean by succession?” Markus said. The large shield shifted upward as the corner scratched an itch on his head. “What does succession mean?”

“There it is, the meathead at it again.” Tariq said but quickly hid behind Alphonse, narrowly avoiding a stray swing from Markus’ fist. “It means nothing good is going to come from it, Markus. Don’t hit me.”

“You’re both halfwits, but Tariq is right. Surely it can’t be anything good.” Gabriel's perfect posture looked down at Tariq.

“Alright everyone, that’s enough. Stay focused.” Lucus shook his head, his hand never once left the hilt of his sword. The words from the beastman were ringing inside his head. Succession… shit, I have a bad feeling. His eyes once more lay upon Alphonse. He seemed deep in thought.

Haydon crouched down as he poked at something at his feet with his dagger. It emitted a foul stench. “It’s faeces. There’s something within this cave.” Then, his eyes landed on the next pile. Their number stretched farther than he could see.

Everyone went on full alert.