Kenji led the way with quiet determination, his eyes focused on the eerie glow of the cavern around them. As they walked deeper into the maze of glowing mushrooms and jagged rock formations, Eleo’s curiosity got the best of him.

“Guys, look! Mushrooms!” Eleo exclaimed, his voice echoing off the cavern walls. His eyes were wide with excitement, the soft glow of the bioluminescent fungi reflecting in his pupils.

Olorun, ever the opportunist, glanced at his small, nearly empty bag and sighed. “Yep, we ate all the food. We could use those mushrooms.” His voice carried a tone of hope, as if these glowing plants might solve all their problems.

Eleo was already nodding enthusiastically. “Yeah! Let's grab 'em!”

Tony's eyes widened in alarm, watching the two sprint toward the mushrooms with reckless abandon. “Wait, I don’t think that’s a—” but they were already too far gone, racing toward the fungi like two kids at a candy shop.

Kenji gave Tony a sideways glance, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. “Don’t worry, Tony. They can be our test dummies to see if the mushrooms are safe. If they keel over, we’ll know.” His calm voice was laced with dry humor, though he kept his watchful gaze on their surroundings, ever the strategist.

By the time Eleo and Olorun reached the mushrooms, they were practically bouncing on their feet. The mushrooms glowed softly, pulsing with an unnatural light, and their strange shapes twisted upward as if reaching for something unseen.

Olorun grabbed one of the larger mushrooms, inspecting it closely. “After you,” he said, offering the mushroom to Eleo with a grin.

Eleo hesitated, the energy in his body faltering for just a moment. “You know what, I think you should eat it,” he said, pushing the mushroom back toward Olorun with an innocent smile.

Olorun chuckled. “You’re the leader, Eleo.”

“Oldest first,” Eleo shot back, not missing a beat.

“Rock, paper, scissors?” Olorun offered with a raised eyebrow, clearly not keen on being the first to take a bite.

Eleo blinked. “What’s that?”

Olorun laughed and quickly explained. “It’s simple. You both pick either rock, paper, or scissors, and each one beats another. Rock beats scissors, scissors beat paper, and paper beats rock. Easy.”

Eleo nodded thoughtfully. “Ohhh, okay! Let’s do it.”

They both stood there, mushrooms in hand, ready to play a game as if the dangers of the cavern didn’t matter. “Three, two, one, go!”

Olorun hesitated. “Wait, wait, wait, we both have to say it at the same time.”

Eleo nodded eagerly. “Got it.”

They counted again in unison. “Rock, paper, scissors, shoot!” Olorun’s hand was a pair of scissors, and Eleo had paper. Olorun grinned victoriously. “Ha! Scissors beats paper. You eat it.”

Eleo sighed, reluctantly grabbing the mushroom. “Okay, okay, I’ll do it.” He stared at the glowing cap for a moment before taking a hesitant bite. The texture was strange, spongy yet soft, and it tasted… oddly sweet.

“How do you feel?” Olorun asked, his tone cautious, though his eyes sparkled with amusement.

Eleo’s face relaxed, and a goofy grin spread across his lips. “Uhh... good. I think?” He sat down on the cavern floor, his legs splayed out in front of him as he let out a small laugh, the tension leaving his body entirely. “Yeah, I feel… really good.”

Tony and Kenji approached cautiously, watching Eleo with raised eyebrows. Eleo’s usually energetic demeanor shifted into something much more relaxed, almost dreamlike. His laughter echoed in the cavern, slow and unhurried, as if time itself had stretched out around him. His movements became sluggish, and his eyes unfocused, staring off into the glowing mist around them.

Olorun, watching closely, scratched his head. “You sure you’re okay, man?”

Eleo waved him off, his voice slightly slurred. “Yeah… I’m good. Real good.” He leaned back on the rock, staring up at the glowing ceiling. “It’s like... the whole world’s... floating.”

Kenji shook his head, arms crossed. “Great, he’s high. Fantastic.”

Tony knelt down next to Eleo, poking him lightly. “Well, at least he’s happy. Guess we know the mushrooms won’t kill us outright, but maybe let’s not eat any more, yeah?”

Eleo giggled, pointing at Tony with an exaggerated, slow movement. “You’re funny, Tony. Like… really funny. Did you know that?” His laughter bubbled up again, and he threw his head back, enjoying the sensation of it. His perception of time and space had become distorted, everything feeling far away and yet strangely close all at once.

Olorun watched him, half-smiling. “Well, at least he’s enjoying himself.”

Kenji sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Let’s get him moving before this wears off. Who knows how long we’ll be stuck in this cavern.”

Tony helped Eleo to his feet, who stumbled slightly but managed to stay upright. “Come on, Eleo. Let’s keep going.”

Eleo nodded, though his movements were sluggish. “Right, right. Adventure! Let’s go... wherever.”

As they moved deeper into the cavern, Kenji led the way again, keeping a careful eye on Eleo, who occasionally giggled or made slow, exaggerated comments about how beautiful everything was. Despite the surreal atmosphere, the team remained focused, knowing they had to find a way out. But the eerie glow and the strange energy of the cavern made it clear that this place was far more dangerous than they could have imagined.

As they continued down the path, the group suddenly noticed a small leaf moving oddly across the ground. Kenji halted, narrowing his eyes. “Wait… Look at that.”

Find this and other great novels on the author's preferred platform. Support original creators!

Olorun raised an eyebrow, clearly skeptical. “So now plants can move around on their own?”

Tony, already crouching beside Eleo who was still spaced out from the mushrooms, glanced at the moving leaf. “That’s not a plant,” Tony said with a smirk, “Watch this.”

As the leaf darted faster, Tony swiftly grabbed it. In his hand squirmed a tiny boy, no taller than a pencil, his voice high-pitched and frantic. “Please, please don’t hurt me! I didn’t mean to steal from the mushroom people! I was just trying to heal myself.”

Tony raised an eyebrow, peering closer. “Well, what do you know? A Minari.”

Olorun and Kenji exchanged confused looks. “What the hell is a Minari?” Kenji asked.

Tony, still holding the small creature in his hand, grinned. “They’re tiny forest folk. They live in harmony with nature, like little gardeners with a whole village hidden in the woods. Curious, fragile, but smart little guys. They're usually more careful than this.”

The tiny boy, shaking but hopeful, nodded rapidly. “That’s right! My name is Timmy! I wasn’t trying to cause any trouble, honest!”

Olorun couldn’t help but laugh. “You? Steal from the mushroom people? How’d you pull that off, little guy?”

Timmy shuffled nervously. “I needed to heal. Those mushrooms... they help us with sickness. But it looks like your friend here,” he pointed to Eleo, who was grinning widely and staring at the sky, “ate one of them.”

Kenji crouched down, examining Eleo’s spaced-out state. “Is he going to be okay?”

Timmy’s tiny face filled with concern. “He ate the Fugagiga mushroom. Only the mushroom people can handle that without getting... weird.”

Tony tilted his head. “Weird? Oh, great. How weird?”

“Well, if it was the Super Fugagiga, he’d be bouncing off the walls right now with enhanced speed. But no, it’s just a regular one... he’ll be stuck in a high state for a while unless we do something.”

Olorun, still chuckling, sat down beside Eleo. “Yeah, he’s not exactly himself right now. You think you can fix him up?”

Timmy hopped off Tony’s hand with a determined nod. “I’ve got something that should help.” He reached into a tiny pouch around his waist and pulled out a vial of shimmering liquid. Carefully, he poured a drop into Eleo’s mouth.

Everyone watched as Eleo blinked a few times, his dazed expression clearing up. He sat up and rubbed his eyes. “Man, I feel... better.” His usual energy quickly returned as he looked around. “Thanks, little guy. You saved me.”

Timmy beamed. “It was nothing! I’m just glad you didn’t eat the Super Fugagiga. That stuff makes mushroom people... uh, real fast. For combat or, um... other things like sex.”

Olorun couldn’t contain his laughter, collapsing onto the ground. “Combat or sex! Oh man, that’s hilarious!”

Kenji rolled his eyes but smirked. “Calm down, Olorun. You’re acting like you ate the mushrooms.”

Eleo, now fully back to his energetic self, jumped to his feet and looked down at Timmy. “You’re smart, Timmy. You should join us! We could use someone like you on our team.”

Timmy looked stunned. “Me? You want a tiny, weak guy like me to join you?”

Kenji stepped forward, nodding in agreement. “You might be small, but you’re quick on your feet and clearly know your way around nature. We need brains just as much as brawn.”

Timmy hesitated, clearly overwhelmed by the offer. “You’d really take me with you? I mean, I’ve always wanted to explore more of the world, but... I’m just a Minari.”

Eleo grinned widely. “And I’m just a bunny, but look at me! We’re all trying to become something greater. My goal is to be the strongest, and I think you can help us get there.”

Timmy’s face lit up with excitement. “Alright, I’ll join you! I want to see more of the world and help you become the strongest!”

As Timmy eagerly nodded his head, a faint shimmer of blue light surrounded him. A message appeared above him in glowing letters: Timmy has joined Eleo's team.

Eleo grinned, turning to his friends. “Look at that, we’ve got a new teammate.”

Tony, ever sarcastic, crossed his arms. “Well, at least we’ve got someone to explain the weird stuff now.”

Kenji smiled, placing a hand on Timmy’s tiny shoulder. “Welcome to the team, Timmy. You’ve already proven your worth.”

Olorun gave him a playful salute. “Just try to keep us out of trouble, alright? We tend to get into a lot of it.”

Timmy, eyes wide with excitement, nodded eagerly. “I’ll do my best. And maybe together we can survive whatever’s in World 2.”

The group continued on their journey, now with a new, unexpected ally by their side. As they moved deeper, the glow from the bioluminescent fungi shimmered off the jagged rock formations, casting eerie shadows that danced across the walls. Mist curled at their feet, clinging to their ankles like a fog refusing to let them go. The faint sound of dripping water echoed from unseen places, giving the cave an almost alive, breathing presence.

As the group walked through the twisting caverns of mushrooms, Olorun’s voice broke the heavy silence. “Alright, Timmy. Can you explain what the hell this place is?”

Timmy, surveying the bioluminescent surroundings, responded with a grin, "This place is called Lúmenoc Grotto. It’s an underground labyrinth, sprawling for miles, and full of glowing fungi and weird crystal formations. The light you see comes from the plants and minerals—it shifts between blue, green, amber… it’s almost alive. The mist makes it feel like you’re walking through a dream, but don’t be fooled. This place has a pulse, and it’s ancient."

Tony, ever the skeptic, raised an eyebrow. "Underground, huh?"

Timmy nodded. "Yep. A billion feet above us is where you don’t want to go. That’s the End.”

Eleo’s eyes sparkled with curiosity. “The End? Why? What’s up there?”

Timmy’s tone darkened. “Up there is the realm of the strongest warrior who ever lived. They say he vanished centuries ago while searching for a challenge greater than anything known to this world. His journey led him to Nekyia, a place believed to be a myth… until he disappeared into it.”

Olorun’s curiosity was piqued. “And now he’s up there, in the End?”

“Not just up there,” Timmy continued. “He's the Eternal Guardian of the Epoch Spire, an ancient structure that houses power beyond imagination. Only the brave—or foolish—would ever try to face him. He’s become more than a man now. Some say he’s tied to the Aegirites, the godlike civilization of Nekyia. That power he sought... he found it.”

Tony let out a low whistle. “So, what, he's just waiting for someone to take him down?”

"Waiting, guarding, testing those who dare to challenge him. But it's not just him you'd have to worry about," Timmy said, his voice growing more somber. "Nekyia... it's full of monsters. His monsters."

Kenji, calm as ever, spoke up. “What kind of monsters are we talking about?”

Timmy gestured around at the eerie glowing mushrooms. "The kind that live in nightmares. Eldritch Colossi, for one. Giants made of stone and plant matter. They look like walking mountains with tendrils coming out of them, and they’ve been around for millennia. No one’s ever seen one up close and survived to tell the tale.”

Eleo gulped but tried to sound brave. “I bet I could take one!”

Tony chuckled, his skeletal fingers clattering together. “Kid, I’m all for confidence, but those things make trees look like twigs.”

Timmy continued, ignoring the banter. “Then you’ve got the Fungal Wretches. They used to be people—now they’re just walking spore factories. The fungus that’s taken them over controls their bodies, making them move like zombies, slow and mindless until they see you. Then, they’re fast. Real fast. And if they get close enough? You’ll be breathing in the spores, and before you know it, you're one of them.”

Eleo’s ears twitched nervously, and he shuffled closer to Olorun. “That’s... that’s not gonna happen to us, right?”

Kenji, ever the strategist, spoke quietly. “We’ll keep our distance.”

Tony, shrugging, added, “And if they get close, I’ve got a few tricks up my sleeve.” His grin widened, clearly unbothered by the dangers.

Timmy continued, his voice lowering. “But the real threat might be the Sporehounds. Imagine wolves, but twisted, deformed by the spores. Their skin is like cracked stone, and they hunt in packs. They’re quiet until they attack, and once they do? It’s over. They’ll flood you with spores so fast, you’ll be seeing stars before you even have time to fight back.”

Kenji frowned. "And is there more"

Timmy nodded. "That’s where the Rootstalkers come in. Think spiders, but made of vines and roots. They hide in the undergrowth, blending into the landscape. You won’t see them until it’s too late. They stretch themselves out, long as the bridges themselves, and when they strike, it’s game over."

Olorun's eyes narrowed. “And if we get past all that?”

Timmy paused, his voice heavy. "If you survive the Colossi, the Wretches, the Sporehounds, the Rootstalkers, and everything else in Nekyia, you’ll still have to face him. The Strongest Man. And his monsters are just the beginning. They say the Flesh Bloom—the ugliest, most terrifying thing in these caverns—is a plant that feeds on whatever it catches. It lures you in with sweet smells and pretty colors, then... well, let’s just say you won’t be around long enough to regret it."

Kenji remained silent, but Tony muttered, “I think I knew a guy like that once. Didn't end well for him either.”

Eleo, despite his nerves, tried to keep up his spirits. "We’ll be fine! Right? We’ve got Olorun, Kenji, and Tony, and Timmy knows this place inside out!"

Olorun exhaled deeply. “This isn’t just about strength. We need to be smart.”

Timmy nodded in agreement. "The deeper we go, the weirder it gets. You’ll start seeing things that don’t make sense. The Veilreapers, for example—they’re not like anything you’ve ever seen. They move like shadows, and they mess with your mind. You won’t even know they’re there until it’s too late. They feed off fear. And if you get scared, they’ll freeze you in place. Not physically, but mentally. They’ll drain your sanity, bit by bit.”

Timmy nodded solemnly. “also there’s a chance—just a chance—that you can make it through. If you do, and if you’re crazy enough to face the strongest man in history, maybe you’ll unlock his powers.”

Eleo hopped excitedly. "We’re gonna make it! I know it! And maybe we’ll get to meet this ‘strongest man’—and show him we’re no push overs!"

Olorun’s gaze darkened. “Let’s hope we don’t need to.”

Olorun ran a hand over his face, his expression caught somewhere between amusement and exhaustion. "Gee, thanks for info dumping us, Timmy," he muttered sarcastically, his voice flat but carrying a hint of a smirk.

Timmy, who had already taken a few steps ahead, paused and turned back with a sheepish grin. "My mistake," he said, scratching the back of his head awkwardly. "I get carried away sometimes." His eyes lit up again almost immediately, clearly not deterred. "But let’s keep moving forward. We need to find that portal to get to World 2." Without waiting for a reply, he took off running, his energy uncontainable.

Olorun sighed deeply, his shoulders slumping as he glanced at the others. "portals ?... Just what I needed," he groaned under his breath, though there was a trace of resignation in his tone, like a man who knew he'd be dealing with far more strange things before the day was done.

Eleo hopped ahead, bouncing excitedly. "Come on, Olorun! Where's your sense of adventure? Maybe World 2 has giant candy trees or something! You never know!" His carefree spirit cut through the eerie tension of the grotto, though it felt more like wishful thinking than a real guess.