The broken chair! I didn’t realize how deadly a broken iron-bound chair leg could be. Rushing inside the hall, I grab the longest broken leg of the tall medieval chair. Tightly holding the thinner bottom end, I raise it up and study it in all its beauty.

The chair leg has a slight curvature in the middle, thickening towards the top, which is covered in iron brackets that helped strengthen the overall structure. The top half of the leg is square, decorated with iron rivets, some of which are partially rusty. The wood is dark brown with a hint of dark red.

It is quite heavy to lift but surprisingly easy to swing. “Yeah, this will do!” I look up at the tall ceiling and check on the other chair still hanging there. “Damnit, how could it be so intriguing?”

I want that chair to stash in my inventory, ready for whenever I need it, but it's too high and would probably break like the one before. Despite its strong, heavy, iron-bound wood, it landed unluckily. I'll leave it for now.

Exiting the ruined castle, I close the heavy door behind me. Somehow, I feel that the belongings inside are mine, and I’ll return here eventually.

Taking a deep breath before entering the mysterious crack in the rocky wall, I toy with the idea of making a torch. But that would cost me more of my precious time, already wasted sitting on the stairs, zoned out. Finding out what happened to Astrid and Mike before dusk should be my top priority now.

I rush near the crack, touching the outer stone walls covered partially in moss and weeds. Using my newfound weapon I clear the dense spiderwebs on the entrance thoroughly by spinning it.

Taking a peek inside, I find a linear tunnel with a light at the end.

“Hmm.” I reevaluate entering it. Judging by the size of the light, the tunnel seems quite long, if the dot is indeed the exit.

I back away a bit and look up over the tunnel, hesitating whether to go through. The path through the rocky formation seems straightforward, and it appears to be the only way around the castle.

I sigh and take a deep breath. “What the hell are you doing, Mark? This isn’t like you. No light in a dark area, no detailed and calculated plan.”

While questioning my actions, I blatantly squeeze through the narrow crack in the wall. Inside, I lean on the chair leg and gaze at the far end of the tunnel cave. The bright sun outside had made my eyes burn, and now, adjusting to the dark, I see weird colors flashing and pulsating. I wait a bit to adjust.

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As the cavern becomes clearer, I see dark gray walls covered with spider webs, vines, and moss. There are many small craters all around the ceiling and sides, while large round stones like bumps randomly jut out from the walls and ground. The air feels damp.

“Wait! My phone!”

Stolen novel; please report.

I quickly open my inventory and notice another phenomenon. The bronze plate shines brightly, making it impossible not to read any text, yet it somehow provides zero illumination to the surroundings. “Damn. Sorry, little buddy. This will be your last day with me.”

I unlock my screen with a simple left-to-right pattern by flicking my right thumb. The laziest pattern you can set up.

"Ooof." My battery is at 2%. I decide to use only the display to illuminate the path. There’s nothing special on the ground, just a bit of water with floating moss.

I’d be lying if I said I’m completely okay. A bit frightened by this cramped, dark place, I walk slowly, using my phone screen to light up the bottom of the cave, avoiding stepping into the ponds of water.

About a dozen steps in, I know I’m too far to turn back. At a safer spot, I use my phone to illuminate one of the craters. It looks like some sort of projectile made these, but none are present in the center of the holes. That explains the rubble under the walls.

Strangely, the impact holes aren’t covered in moss or weathered like the rest of the cave walls. They haven’t been here long.

*Doo, doo, doo, doo*

“No! No! No! Fuck! No!” My phone makes its last sounds before turning off. My only light source is gone. Now, the only thing I can focus on is the growing light at the tunnel's end.

I whistle and start to swing and pound the chair leg in front of me and on the ground. It splashes a bit of water, reassuring me there’s no deep hole ahead.

Walking extremely carefully and slowly toward the light, I continue swinging my weapon.

*Hollow Bonk*

I freak out and take a huge step backward as two red dots appear on the ground in front of me. “What is this?” Those red shining spots—are they eyes?

Startled and panicked, I wonder what to do. Biting my lip in worry, I gently pat the thing from the sides with the chair leg, trying to gauge its size. It’s not large, about the size of one of the rocks scattered around the cave.

Spider Turtle, level 3

A white sign appears floating in the air.

“Fuck! I’m sorry! I'm sorry! Don’t kill me!” I back away, trembling. “Wait! A turtle? In a fucking cave?” I read it again to be sure. “A fucking spider turtle? What the hell is even that?”

Rollercoaster of wild images flashes before my eyes, while I comprehend the creature's name.

The red health bar appears above its head afterwards, and seeing the word "spider" again makes me freak out even more. My brain somehow ignored the fact that I’m terrified of spiders.

Instinctively, I smash it. The chair leg hits the turtle’s hard shell and bounces back. Suddenly, a set of six red eyes opens on its shell in two rows, providing a bit of illumination.

“Ho-lee shit.”

*Bang!* I hit the red spot! It disappears upon impact. The health bar shrinks, and the creature produces a sizzling noise.

*Bang!* Another hit over the eye, and the pattern repeats.

*Blip. Blip.*

The two eyes I hit reopen and shine red. I back away, ignoring the fear of a possible deep murky water holes, as the turtle moves toward me. It’s slow, like a turtle, not fast like a spider. If it were quick, I’d be dead by now.

Now I aim more precisely with the pointy top of the chair leg, trying to puncture an eye. There’s resistance, but I can do it. Not in one hit, but with more precise strikes!

*Pop*

Finally, the blob pops, and a bright orange jelly starts flowing out.

“Yuck. Jesus! That is. Gross!”

The creature screeches and tries to get closer, but it can't outpace me. I find a pattern of slowly backing away while hitting its eyes and extended head. I maintain my distance, repulsed by the thought of touching it with my bare hands. Occasionally, I turn to check my surroundings for more creatures.

Despite its super creepy and disgusting nature, I can imagine taking on many of these alone if they come one by one.

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The neck extends after every few steps and hits, and I try to bash it, but it retracts quickly, dodging my strikes. Those four clumsy turtle legs aren’t even remotely scary—only the set of eyes on top of the shell are.

“Hah. This isn’t so bad.” I feel above the situation.

I bash the eyes and pop another three successfully. But as I deplete half of the health bar, everything changes.