Chapter 5: The Depths
SPLASH!
The sound of something heavy breaking the water’s surface echoed through the cavern, followed by frantic thrashing. That something was Niko. His body, weighed down by panic and shock, plunged into a deep, frigid pond, the impact sending cold ripples through his limbs.
He flailed wildly, his arms struggling to push through the dark water. He had never been much of a swimmer—his body, weak for most of his life, had made sure of that. Now, despite his newfound health, every stroke was a desperate fight to stay afloat.
Swoosh! Swoosh!
Water splashed around him as he fought against the pull of the pond. Niko gasped for breath, his heart hammering in his chest. His fingers clawed at the water, his muscles screaming with exertion as he pushed himself toward what he hoped was the surface.
With a final lunge, his hand brushed against solid ground. Relief surged through him as he gripped the rough stone edge of the pond, pulling himself out with trembling arms. His wet clothes clung to his skin, heavy and cold as he collapsed onto the stone floor, panting heavily.
"Argh..." Niko groaned, his chest rising and falling rapidly as he lay on his back. Water pooled around him, soaking into the dark gray stone beneath. His body felt like lead, weighed down not just by the water but by the realization of how close he had come to drowning.
He lay there for a moment, catching his breath, his mind racing. He stared up at the ceiling—an endless abyss of darkness. No light, no stars. Just a suffocating black void. A trap. That’s what it had to be. He had fallen straight into another trap.
"It could’ve been worse," Niko muttered, forcing himself to sit up. His muscles protested as he moved, but he ignored the discomfort, scanning his surroundings.
The cavern was vast, but most of it was shrouded in darkness. The only sound was the soft dripping of water, echoing in the distance. His gaze wandered until it landed on something far more intriguing—a faint light, flickering in the distance, just beyond the edge of the pond.
Niko rose to his feet, water still dripping from his clothes. He moved cautiously, every step deliberate. He had already been caught off guard once—he couldn’t afford another misstep. The air was cold and damp, carrying with it the faint scent of decay, as though something ancient and long-dead lurked just out of sight.
As he drew closer to the light, his eyes widened. The source of the glow was unmistakable: bones. A pile of bones, some still tangled in the remnants of tattered clothing, lay scattered across the stone floor. And nestled among the skeletal remains was a gem—a spherical stone that glowed with an eerie blue light.
The gem was smooth and flawless, its surface like a vast sea of blue. Unlike the green gem he had seen earlier, this one held no image within, just an endless void of color. A soft white aura pulsed around it, casting a cold, unnatural light across the pile of bones.
Niko’s breath caught in his throat. He could feel the weight of death lingering in the air. The skull, partially buried in the dirt, stared back at him with empty eye sockets. Cobwebs stretched across its surface, whispering of time long passed.
"This was... someone’s bones," Niko whispered, a shiver crawling up his spine. The presence of death was so palpable here, as though the air itself was haunted by the last breaths of whoever had perished.
For a moment, fear gnawed at him. Was this the fate that awaited him? To die in some forgotten corner of this cursed place, his bones left to rot, unmarked and unnoticed?
If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.
"No," Niko muttered, shaking his head. "I can’t let that happen." His thoughts turned to the orb, to the cold indifference with which it had slaughtered the arrogant man in the previous trial. If there was one thing he had learned, it was that weakness was death. The weak had no place in this world.
"I need to be strong," Niko said, his voice firmer now. "If I’m weak, I’ll die. Just like him." He glanced at the skull one last time before stepping toward the gem.
He crouched beside the bones, his hand hovering over the glowing stone. There was no sense of danger. Nothing but a faint hum in the air, a quiet beckoning from the gem itself. Still, he moved cautiously, his mind racing through the warnings from the booklet. He couldn’t afford recklessness. He couldn’t waste the limited skills he could acquire.
He took a deep breath, then reached out and grasped the gem.
"Analyze."
----------------------------------------
[Skill: Celestial Probe I]
Level: 1(3)
Description: This skill allows the user to gain deeper information about something. The standard analysis skill provides approximately 30% of the information, while this skill can show 100%. Celestial Probe also reveals an enemy’s abilities, giving the user an advantage in battle.
[Activate?]
Yes / No
----------------------------------------
Niko’s eyes lit up as he read the description. This was far more powerful than the simple analysis skill. "Celestial Probe…" he muttered, his mind racing with the possibilities. The ability to understand something completely—whether it was an enemy or a hidden secret—could make all the difference in this world.
But he hesitated.
The booklet had warned that humans could only possess a maximum of seven skills. Every skill choice had to be made carefully, with the future in mind. But the power to know everything about his enemies, to understand the world around him with complete clarity? That was something he couldn’t afford to pass up.
"Knowing my enemy might save my life," Niko reasoned. "I accept. Activate, yes!"
As the thought crossed his mind, the gem in his hand dissolved into particles of light, swirling around him like tiny, glowing fireflies. His body absorbed the light, a warm, tingling sensation spreading through him as the skill became part of him.
----------------------------------------
[Skill: Celestial Probe: Learned]
Mana Power: +1
----------------------------------------
"Status!"
----------------------------------------
[Name: Niko Lazar]
Level: 1
Exp: 0%
[Attributes]
Strength: 1
Constitution: 1
Agility: 1
Intelligence: 1
Mana: 1
Mana Power: 2/2
[Unique Titles]
None
[Skills]
* Celestial Probe I
* +1 Mana Power
* Description: A skill similar to Analyze, but more powerful and complex. It allows a complete understanding of an object or enemy. As the level of the skill increases, so does its capability.
----------------------------------------
"My mana power increased," Niko whispered, feeling a faint surge of energy within him. It was a small step forward, but any progress was better than none. Still, the slow pace of his advancement gnawed at him. Every moment here was a reminder of how unprepared he was for what lay ahead.
The soft glow from his newfound skill lit the space around him, casting faint shadows on the walls. As he looked around, something caught his eye—a rusted iron gate, barely hanging onto its hinges. The gate stood near the pile of bones, its surface corroded and ancient, as though it had been left to rot for millennia.
Niko’s heart raced. Time was running out. He could feel the seconds slipping away, counting down to whatever awaited him beyond this place. The gate had to lead somewhere—somewhere important.
"This place has to have more to offer," Niko muttered. His gaze drifted back to the bones, the remnants of someone who had failed to escape. He swallowed hard, determination hardening in his chest. "I won’t end up like that."
With one last glance at the bones, he turned toward the rusted gate, his mind racing with possibilities—and dangers.
And with a deep breath, he stepped forward into the darkness.