Attrition

A whimpering cry of death...then silence. Traces of dying magic glimmered in the pit revealing my sword soaked in blood. The squeamish sound of my bloody footsteps echoed in the hollow earth as I left the strewn sight of animal carcasses and guts behind me.

The vile taste of their blood and mine engulfed me in a horrific thrill and sense of disgust. Nauseous feelings of adrenaline coursed through and everything within burned as I pushed back the urge to vomit.

The cavern began to spin, the crowd's screaming voices fading into nothingness; time itself seemed to vanish inside a golden radiance I'd never seen before. The newfound light purged all wounds and signs of physical debuffs disappearing as soon as it came. A brand-new sensation overcame me, like walking on air. Summoning my sword, I charged forward into another swarm of beasts with renewed strength.

...

We had been immersed in battle since arriving in the abyss. I ran through the unforeseen dark dragging an injured Resa through the narrow space like a predator would its dead prey. Numerous howls sounded off the walls into the vast darkness causing chills to vibrate down my spine coercing me to look around frantically.

Nothing.

Not a soul appeared before us, instead, pairs of green eyes answered wordlessly preying on the fear running through every fiber of my being.

The sound of their footsteps slowly inching closer brought unimaginable pain in my chest, the unnatural numbness taking effect of my body as I collapsed behind a stalagmite pulling Resa with me. Erratic breathing consumed me; I looked down to see my skin beginning to turn blue and my open wounds bleed grey.

Tears welled in the corners of my eyes as I peeked over my shoulder seeing our pursuers emerge from the shadows. Negamares, half-wolf, half-horse-like creatures pushed past each other filtering in, their formed bodies of purple mist instantly darkened the glimmer of reflected light ushering in a setting of pitch black.

The length of their claws screeched against the rocky ground while their three emerald eyes took in the surrounding air sniffing us out seamlessly as they lurched closer to our hiding spot letting loose low guttural growls of their anticipating meal.

Shakily clutching my spear, the entirety of my body clung to it as I struggled to my knees pointing it at the approaching horde. They eyed me soullessly releasing shockwaves of madness that shook the underground damaging my internal organs amplifying the pain I felt tenfold as one of their hind legs drove into my side sending me into a cluster of jagged rocks that pierces my abdomen.

The foreign intrusion makes me tremble uncontrollably, I felt blood oozing from my mouth as more of it coated the wall and jagged rocks, my body growing deathly chill.

Everything was fading to black little by little as my five senses grew dimmer with death's embrace breathing closely down my neck; the name I cherished most flew from my lips.

“Master...Reis.”

A single tear slid down my cheek soundlessly falling into the dark, a single glimmer of light shining from the depths of the cave the last thing to fill my vision.

...

I arrived at another dead end finding the room filled with deceased creatures.

Some lay in tiny pieces while others seemingly were crushed by rocks or absorbed into the ground, clearly the work of Resa and Leifa.

My search of the place turned up empty except for chipped pieces of metal and torn cloth.

I ran across rooms in similar states searching tirelessly for Resa and Leifa scouring for hints to an exit on the way.

Every empty opening turned up nothing, the tiny marking on the walls became impossible to read.

The depths of the dark intensified, seeing my feet and what lay ahead was no longer possible, soon the steepness of the cavern flattened out becoming evened ground.

Another step forward I found my feet submerged in water up to my calves. Sloshing footsteps reverberated constantly in the wide-area unsure if they were truly mine or something quickly advancing through the murky liquid.

Treading in such dark unknown waters, the feeling was like traveling through a cemetery.

The air was sharp and suffocating, pressuring in from all sides, the lapping waves moving rhythmically sounded like mournful wails of those departed.

A sudden bone-chilling shriek broke through the atmosphere much more frightening than any screech from a bat. Cracking noises of stalactites became frequent breaking off in the next second as the massive size of minerals transcended from above.

My cautious steps turned into a full sprint twisting left and right to avoid the unforgiving hailstorm. Another shriek extended through the wind as I felt the water level recede, this one more powerful than it's last commencing a second round.

(What is this? I was hoping to conserve stamina using as little movement as possible to dodge. ...At this rate I'll get pinned down and trapped for sure.)

Closing my eyes, I steady my breathing trying to call on the mysterious light from before. I keep pushing forward focusing my hearing; noticing shifts in the air to steer away from the falling spikes. Seconds pass, no number of wishful pleas and focused concentration brings forth the surging power from earlier.

Skidding to a stop I jolt my eyes open as a towering piece of granite pierces the space in front of me. Hearing another subtle creak, I leap out the way as three more plants themselves into the ground. At the same time, another stalactite catches the back of my left leg nailing me to the cold rocky floor underneath a thin level of cool water.

I look up wide-eyed as more dripstones came bearing down at high speeds.

"Rite," I called out to my sword hearing a low hum in response to its name. The weapon gleamed brightly as I fed magic power into it before tossing it into the sky where it exploded obliterating every sign of danger from the air falling peacefully into the water once the job was done.

Wriggling my injured limb uncontrollably I began to hear the crunching of my bones. The water slowly grew warmer at my lower half as blood leaked from the struggle. Teeth gritted I gave one last powerful twist as the ligaments in my leg tore ripping it off completely regenerating almost instantaneously.

Inching my way forward on all fours I grab my still glowing sword coming to rest on my knees soon after. The grotto was once again eerily quiet. I stood up wiping the wet hair from my eyes discovering for the first time a green light on what I assumed was the other side.

Unconsciously I took a step toward it, like in a trance. Once my feet safely reached the stark contrast of soft ground on the other side the light was unseen by my eyes, replacing it instead was a loud bark from the abyss as some creature's fangs sunk into my abdomen pulling me into the grim unforeseeable depths of the unknown.