Chapter 4: Cavern
The door squealed open, Yumi shakily stumbling in before gently placing herself on the bed. Rikka followed not far behind, giving me a slight wave as she entered, "We're back."
It's been several days since I went out onto the fields – Rikka insisted I save my strength for our upcoming 'job,' though she never spoke of its details. Only with a quick glance could I tell today didn't go too well – Yumi's body being covered with small bite marks. The good news is that it was less than yesterday; Which was less than the day before.
Rikka briskly moved towards the wall, leaning against it and facing our direction, "I think you both are ready."
"Ready for the 'job?'" I asked, Rikka responding with a swift nod.
"It's not the best, but you both are trained enough. Besides, we don't have much time left. We start at sunrise."
"That soon?"
"We don't have a choice. It's either that, or you both stay untrained and in debt."
Yumi's face seemed lifeless – not a single expression able to be made out. Call it superstition, but I know she's scared. We both are.
* * *
My eyes creaked open – The blurry haze of the room being blinked away bit by bit. The open curtains scorched my eyes in the morning sun. A sudden pat on my shoulder caused me to quickly jolt back, only to be staring at Rikka with a rather blank expression glued to her face.
"Sorry…" I began, "Didn't know you were awake…"
"N-no, I should be the one apologizing," she started, marching to the window and closing the curtains, "You should start getting ready. it's a long day ahead of us."
* * *
The stairs creaked with every step, descending down into the quiet early-morning tavern. "Ahoy!" Enna shouted out from behind the counter, her arm raised to the sky, "You stay safe out there," she heeded, "I don't want to be sending kids to their deaths, now do I?"
I couldn't help but let out a nervous chuckle. "Thanks, Enna. we'll be safe." As I opened the door to the hall, the cold air immediately hit me – a swift yet intense shiver running down my body. Rikka was just up against the wall, leaning back and almost looking like she was asleep.
"You both ready?" She asked, Yumi now exiting the building behind me.
"Yeah," I responded.
Yumi was crossing her arms – slightly hunched over with her body slightly shaking. "Why is it always so cold here!" She exclaimed, making her way down the city street.
"What about you?" I inquired, "Anything you need taking care of?"
She stepped forward, placing her hand on my shoulder and briskly turning me towards the edge of town. She faced me, walking backwards down the street with a slight smile glued to her face. "Not really." she responded before quickly catching up to Yumi.
* * *
The transition between environments was almost seamless – the dense forest straight to the gaping mouth of a cave – a slight groan from within as if it was trying to swallow us whole. "This should be the location," Rikka exclaimed, beginning to enter the dark cavern. I followed behind as Yumi cautiously tailed from the back. Our footsteps echoed through the hollow as pure silence, other than the water dripping from above and the slight crumbling of the cave walls, was all we could hear.
The deeper we went, the darker and louder the slight hums of the cavern became. From the darkness came a low growl, followed by slight snarls and the piercing gaze of eyes. I reached for my blade, my hand hovering over it as I slowly marched deeper inside. It was only then that a slight jolt from the shadows caught my attention.
A dark figure pounced towards me – too fast to react. In a blink of an eye it knocked me to the floor, sharp claws digging into my stomach as it held me down. In a panic, I swiftly unsheathed my blade, closing my eyes as I slashed it towards the beast.
A clang rung through my ears – the vibration of the sword and a swift tug releasing my grasp. As my eyes opened, I saw what only could be described as pure death itself. A sole horn protruded from the shadowy figure; Resembling that of a giant hound – its teeth soaked with blood and a lustful wanting glistening in its demon-esc eyes. My sword, much to its horror – was caught in its mouth, as with a swift clench of its teeth did it shatter.
I felt a surge of fear spread throughout my body, trying to wiggle out of the beast's hold. As its mouth opened, I felt my heart clench. But before it could bite down, an arrow quickly pierced into its side. The beast almost didn't react. Its hold loosened as I shimmied out under it, running back towards the others. However, a low growl made me turn. With one quick movement, it leaped just before me – its claws high into the air and raining down on my face. I jolted back, narrowly dodging as my cheek began to bleed, having been sliced open.
Rikka came before me – stabbing it in the side with a high-pitched howl escaping from its mouth. However, its head jolted towards Rikka as it clenched down onto her arm and jumped away from her hold.
"Urgh!" Rikka moaned out in pain, stumbling back towards me as I sat her down to the floor. Her arm was stained with red – a puncture too deep to bear.
"This isn't good-" I exclaimed, the beast's murderous eyes piercing into me from the shadows.
Yumi began to cock her bow, two glistening-blue arrows being summoned alongside it. "Triple shot!" She shouted, the arrows flying out toward it. Its eye was pierced and stomach as well, with the last flying right past.
Once again the beast let out a howl, just before it shot towards Yumi. My heart clenched, out of instinct jumping at the wolf and knocking it to the side. A slight hiss came from it before once again pinning me down. The stained blood on its teeth dripped down onto me – claws once again digging into my skin.
I reached for Rikka's dagger – still pierced into its side – other hand holding its mouth away with what strength I had left. As I grasped the handle, I used all my strength, pushing the blade deep inside of the beast as It toppled down to the side.
"Eren!" Yumi shouted out, crouching down beside me and quickly grasping my face, patting down the cut marks and wiping away the blood.
"I'm fine, Yumi." I told her, grabbing her hand and pulling it down from my face. I stepped up and rushed towards Rikka, who stood at the cave wall, grasping onto her wound.
"we need to heal you..." Yumi said, a slight shiver in her voice as she grasped a small green vile from her bag.
"N-no, don't worry about it. It's not the first time I've been injured like this. But even so, this shouldn't have happened."
"What do you mean?" I asked, Quickly giving Rikka some bandages as she patched herself up.
"That- that thing, it's what we call an Ashenwolf. There should have been an expedition party here, not a death wolf!"
"You mean the mission, it's-"
"-Way out of our league now. Our best option would be to get the hell out of here and find people who can help."
Almost instantly, she began marching back towards the entrance of the cave. But it was only then that the entire cavern began to shake. The ceiling crumbled and the ground shook with a deadly force – a large, almost deafening growl echoed through the cave.
I covered my ears, squirming to the cave wall as the very ceiling began to fall. Rikka grasped my hand along with Yumi's, beginning to run further into the cave. A rock just overhead dislodged and plummeted down. I grabbed onto Yumi and shoved both her and Rikka out of the way.
I leaped forward, the rock coming down and crashing onto the floor. Yumi rushed over and helped me up as we continued to hurry through the collapsing cavern. Rock after rock, corridor after corridor it collapsed, until finally it all stopped. The dust settled and the cave ceased shaking. The only things that remained were a few tight corridors filled with closed passages and remaining debris. We all were out of breath, kneeling over and falling to the floor from exhaustion. My entire body was in pain – almost to the point where it was unbearable.
* * *
The endless corridors diminished us. We didn't know where we were headed, following tight pathways and linear routes leading to nothing.
"We're not trapped, right?" Yumi asked, a slight sense of worry in her voice.
"Yeah..." I responded, "We just might be."
We managed to find our way into a massive region of the cavern as shining crystals dangled from the ceiling and a vast lake puddled down below. It looked as if someone had carved out this section by hand, as a long, tall bridge of stone snaked its way down the middle of the room as we admired from below.
"What is this place?" I exclaimed, frantically admiring the beauty of the crystals all around us.
"There aren't any known records of something like this below these mountains..." Rikka responded, grasping her wound while continuing through the room.
"Are you saying we're in unknown territory?"
"Yes..."
The room almost seemed mystical. As if we had found a chamber of secrets. The rocks glowed with an enthralling blue light, brighter than any rock I've ever seen. Despite this, I was too injured to care. We all were. At the same time, the room had an almost eerie silence to it.
Along with that, a deep sensation that we were being watched. A sudden movement in the corner of my eye made my heart drop – raising my shattered blade and preparing for anything as the others did the same.
At first glance, nothing seemed to be there. However, after another movement, we finally noticed. From the wall of the cave was an eye – The size of a grown man. It watched us intently, not daring to look away.
None dared to move. We stood in pure fear, watching in terror as the eye examined us. It was then that my blade slipped from my hand, clanging against a small crystal on the ground. Just like that, the ground began to shake.
Debris fell all around us as a loud rumbling echoed through the cave. An almost sudden explosion crashed out from the wall, a wave of dust shooting out and obstructing our vision. The sound of the monster moving almost caused my heart to stop – All that I could see being the massive horns of the creature just barely unveiled by the smoke.
"Oh my god..." Yumi squeaked out as her voice was shaken with fear, "What is that!?" Blood dripped from its fangs, a screech yet deep sound emanating off of it. Its loud, almost sickening groans shimmered throughout the cave, its footsteps shaking the ground like an earthquake.
"W-we need to get out of here!" I yelled, beginning to back away, unwilling to take my eyes off of it.
"Aggh!" Rikka groaned, turning my head towards her. She laid on the ground – a large rock sitting on top of her body. Blood spat out from her mouth as she desperately shoved it off of her.
"We can't make it out with Rikka in this state!" Yumi shouted out to me, carrying her behind a nearby crystal and throwing me her dagger. My heart began to drop. I looked back at the beast, its eyes shimmering with a deep, dark red as a swarm of dust scattered around the cave and rocks falling from the sky.
My fist clenched, not out of will, or of courage; but of fear. Of a sense of tremendous, heart stopping urge of which I had never felt before. My heart pounded, my eyes grew narrow. It felt as if I was already dead. I shakily grasped her dagger, so much I felt as if I would drop it. I clenched my eyes, and with one large breath, I charged.
I felt an overwhelming sense of adrenaline pumping through me. Hugging the edge of a small rock, I peered towards the beast who towered just before me, the sounds of debris falling all around me. A sort of whistling sound echoed throughout the cave, arrows shooting out towards the legs of the beast. They bounced off.
"It's no use!" I shouted out to her, "It's body is rock solid!" I let out a slight tick before shifting out, back towards the beast. I leaped forward, straight towards the leg as the echoing clash spread along with flying sparks as the dagger all but scraped it. It was only then that the beast began to act.
Its eyes almost instantly shifted to Yumi, beginning to charge towards her. I couldn't hear or see anything but her. As I watched it charge, my heart began to drop. I saw a tear fall from her face – her silent agony as she dropped to the floor and awaited her death.
As the beast made contact, her body shot across the room, bouncing off the rocky wall and collapsing to the floor. Blood dripped from her mouth and her arm completely shrouded in her own blood. As I watched her fall, I felt an urge. Wrath.
I charged at the beast, climbing up from its leg. As I got to the head, I stabbed. Stabbed. Stabbed for what felt like an eternity. I felt myself begin to break down. Tears flooded my eyes as the stabbing did nothing.
The beast's arm towered up above me, tightly grabbing my body. It held me out into the air and glared at me with bloodlust. It started to squeeze. Blood spat out from my mouth as I felt my body grow tighter and tighter. I felt my bones cracking, my intestines being squeezed to their limits. I felt my body begin to break and my consciousness fade out.
"I don't want to die." I said as blood dripped from my mouth. "I don't want to die. I don't want to die! I DON'T WANT TO DIE!"
I clenched the dagger – and with all my strength – I jolted it forward, piercing into its rocky hand as it released its grasp. I charged back towards the head, placing the sword high above my own – and with a swift cry, I shot it down.
With that dagger I stabbed. Stabbed. Stabbed with all my power. Then, I felt a drop. I looked down as the beast began to topple. All I could do was let out a single tear and fall.
As my consciousness began to give way, and my surroundings grow dark whilst plummeting, I could almost see home. Almost. All I could do was let out a slight laugh. A slight smile. The only thing I could say was "I'm Sorry."
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