I sat upright against a rough surface. The lumps and cracks against my spine made it ache. It was clear I was left there for several hours. opening my eyes and saw the inside of a cave. There was no visible source of light, and yet everything seemed to be illuminated. It was as if the cave itself was glowing. Looking around I saw nothing but the dry, orange soil on the ground beneath me.

  I should have died at the noose, but clearly, I was alive. My physical body was still with me and I could interact with the stones on the ground.

  The spell I had cast should have only allowed my consciousness to live on as my body died. I wished nothing more than to see the world progress past this unfortunate time. My book of spells has never been wrong before, but there was no other explanation.

  I felt weak, and my legs shook as I tried to stand. The only thing keeping me on my feet was the cave wall I used to bear some weight. I wondered what happened to drain so much energy from me.

  With only one path to take I struggled with each step. Keeping one hand or the other on the wall at all times I managed to keep a steady pace. This must have pushed my body too far.

  Suddenly, my vision began to blur and fade. Losing all sense of my own surroundings. I collapsed to the ground, and as sudden as it appeared, the effect vanished.

  I climbed back to my feet and continued. Slowly, some of my strength returned, and I now could walk without support, but I wasn't myself just yet. I needed time to fully recover.

  As I walked, the path I followed became narrower and more difficult to navigate. Until my body was pressed on both sides. By the end, I was forced to shuffle horizontally, but luck would be on my side.

  Just as I thought I would be unable to continue I saw the path open up into a much more manageable space. Hoping this would be the end, I rushed. Just as I was nearing the opening, the eye of a demon appeared in the exit. The beast's eye stared into mine. Feeling relatively safe in my cramped space, I remained still.

  It shrieked, stood on its hind legs, and clawed at the wall. With each swipe, it tore apart large chunks of stone. With a failed attack, it switched tactics.

  The demon extended its front claw and inserted it into the hole in the wall. Unlike before, its movements were gentler, but still threatening. It seemed as if it were trying to get a hold of me and drag me from my safety.

  Seeing as it couldn't reach, the demon removed its claw and looked at me once more. It seemed to know it could not reach me and dropped onto its four legs once more. As if it were placed under a spell, The demon turned its head and crawled away. It was like the demon had forgotten about me entirely.

  My heart pounded as I relived the experience in my head. I was terrified of what else I may come across, but still, I continued out of my hole. With nowhere else to go I had no choice but to put myself in the vicinity of a demon.

  As I reached the end of the cracked wall, I peered my head into the opening. First looking in the direction of the demon, and then the path it came from. There was nothing to be seen but a long tunnel held together by wooden beams and planks of wood connecting them.

  I did not intend to perish by the hands of a demon, or at least not today. Thinking of life as the better option, I decided not to follow the demon, and take the opposite path.

  I shuffled the last few steps until I was free from my confinement. My legs bent and my back arched to remain low. I placed every step with extreme caution to minimize all sounds I may create. I hastily followed the tunnel, and my blue robe dragged through the air as I moved.

  The path looked like that of an underground mine. I then noticed there were no real signs of mining operations. Only the tunnels burrowing through the earth. Quickly I became lost in a labyrinth of splitting paths and dead ends.

  Turn after turn I was lost and hopeless. Until I reached yet another cross-section of the tunnel. This time I heard the patting of feet and the scratching of claws. I knew instantly that a pack of demons was on their way.

  As the steps grew closer I hastily pressed my body flat against a wooden beam in a poor attempt to hide. I could only hope it was good enough.

  My worst fear was realized when the pack of demons turned in the intersection, now walking directly down my path. Still fearing for my life I pressed my body harder against the beam until my spine cracked.

  One demon passed. Then two. Then four. Every one of them continued towards their destination. Oblivious to my presence.

  The relief of this lowered my guard, and I stepped away from the beam. Only to put myself face to face with a fifth demon straggling behind the others.

  I froze. Although the demon was walking on four legs, our eyes were still even with each other. The demon seemed confused, and it thought about what it should do.

  In preparation, I opened my palms and began to charge a green mist to defend myself. To my surprise, the demon simply huffed and followed the rest.

  I didn’t understand. I lowered my hands and the spell dissipated. I turned and watched the demon harmlessly walk away from its potential prey. It went at a somewhat slow and constant pace, and I noticed it didn't hesitate at the last crossing.

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  It knew exactly where to go, and I remembered the first demon I encountered in this place did the same.

  I knew it was stupid, but I was curious. I sighed at my own actions and chased after the demon. Now sprinting I turned left at the nearest crossing. Barely catching a glimpse of the demon's tail making a right at the next.

  Compared to its usual speed, these demons were slow, but still, they were moving faster than I could manage. With every turn, the demon I chased got farther away.

  By the last turn, it was out of sight, but with the option being a right turn I sped up. My legs ached, but I needed to know what it was doing, and maybe find a way out.

  I sprinted around the turn. Instantly finding myself at a cliff. I tried to stop, but found myself inches from the edge and leaning forward uncontrollably. In a last-minute effort, I threw both my arms towards the abyss and released a massive, unfocused burst of magic.

  I overestimated the power of the useless spell and was knocked off my feet. Now sitting on the ground, I took a moment to admire my surroundings. The cavern was massive and circular.

  I crawled on my knees and peered over the edge. The path I tried to follow turned again and spiraled towards the bottom. With multiple holes in the all and multiple spiraling paths, there were even more demons on each path. All of which with the same destination.

  My gaze drifted downwards, and as it did I saw more demons gathered. There were more demons the farther down they went. Then I noticed in the bottom of the pit, there were easily hundreds of demons. All of which circling around a pulsating light.

  A portal. The demons were emerging from the tunnels and towards the portal. Each one throwing itself in and vanishing. Each use sent a shockwave of energy racing through the air.

  After several minutes of watching the hundreds of demons vanish before my eyes, I heard a low grumble from my rear. Slowly turned my head to see a vicious demon snarling and showing its razor-sharp teeth.

  Unlike before, this demon showed no signs it would allow me to live. I could feel its hunger. The demon before saw me as nothing more than a harmless mouse lost in the tunnels, but now I was in their territory.

  Still, helplessly on the ground, I rolled over onto my back. The demon, just feet away, then charged. It opened its jaws and went for the neck.

  With nothing much instinct I threw out my hand and blasted a scorching flame into the demon's mouth. It yelped with pain, and before it could counter I lifted my legs and kicked the demon over the cliff.

  A terrible shriek echoed through the cavern as the demon fell. It threw its limbs in all directions trying to slow its fall. The shriek stopped, but the pounding slam of the demon against the stone floor soon followed.

  I peered over the edge once more to see the demon's body lying lifeless in a pool of purple blood. The others below had stepped away from their fallen brother and formed a unified circle around it.

  One stepped forward to inspect the corpse. First sniffing the blood, then gazing upwards. Once it saw me I could see its guard go up and take a slightly lower stance. It was quite a long drop, yet I could hear the snarling through the silence.

  Soon every beast in the area knew of my presence and came galloping up the spiraling path. Each one trampling others, and some even piercing each other with their sharp claws as they ran.

  Their front claws dug into the ground and destroyed the path behind them. Leaving nothing more than loose rock and bodies of unfortunate demons that did not survive the stampede.

  With the demons closing in I turned to run through the tunnels once again. As I did, I saw dozens of demons barreling around the last cross-section of paths. Frightened, I threw my body around too quickly, my foot slipped from underneath me, and I fell to the ground.

  Quickly using my hands to lift myself, I ran back towards the cliff before I fully regained my balance. I turned around the corner towards the cliff with nowhere else to go.

  The moment I stepped out from the demon-infested tunnel, another jumped out from the spiral path. The beast made its move before I could react. Standing on its hind legs and one claw lifted into the air. It slashed me right across the chest, which threw me off the cliff.

  Wounded and dazed, I found myself hanging over the edge of the path below, but the demons were not far behind. They simply turned the other way and came charging down the spiral.

  It would only be a few moments before they closed the distance and tore my limbs from my body. Clenching my wounded chest with one hand. I extended the other and closed my eyes.

  Never in my life have I thought I would use my spells in combat. I've only used spells for my own convenience and to test theories. I knew I wasn't powerful enough to face hundreds of demons simultaneously, but I needed something.

  I mumbled three words of power. Focusing as much energy into my palm as I could manage. I had never cast a spell this powerful on this large of a scale. All I could hope for was it to be enough for my own survival.

  Now surging with more energy than I've ever focused before, my eyes shot open and I released the spell. Strands of magic shot from my palm and laid a straight line across the path. Almost instantly a transparent purple barrier emerged from the ground. The demons behind it slammed into the wall.

  The demons were clearly angered by the barrier. The ones in the front lifted themselves on their back legs and began swiping at the barrier. Each attack being thrown back with no effect.

  I knew my own limits, and I knew the barrier would eventually fade and weaken. I just wasn't powerful enough to sustain such a spell.

  I felt a sharp pain across my chest and remembered what happened just moments ago. I looked down and noticed the blood flowing down my arm and dripping to the ground.

  The spell I cast drained all of my strength. Physically and mentally I exhausted myself. Seeking safety I looked towards the glowing portal again. I knew it led somewhere, and at that moment I had no other choice.

  All I could manage was a slow limp towards the edge of the path. At the edge I just allowed my legs to collapse. I tumbled over the edge and towards the light.

  I fell towards the portal, and as I entered a thundering bang of space itself tearing echoed in my ears. Still falling I looked up.

  The beaming rays of the sun warmed my skin and calmed my emotions. The speeding winds cooled my body from the humid caves, and the clouds created a beautiful masterpiece in the sky. It was oddly peaceful.

  Then without warning, I splashed into the frigid waters and my limp body twirled and flipped as I drifted downstream. That was when I fainted.

  I regained consciousness momentarily with my head faced upwards in the water. All I could see was the hull of a small wooden boat and the blurry face of a beautiful woman.

  "Is this really him?" Said a young boy's voice.