The Pulse of Desperation

Chapter 85: The Pulse of Desperation

The narrow tunnel pressed in on them, the air thick with dust and the faint metallic tang of the orb at Kael's side. Each step echoed ominously in the confined space, the walls seeming to ripple with shadows. Mira led the way, her hand brushing against the cold stone as she tested the stability of the ground ahead. Luka leaned heavily on Kael, his breaths shallow, but his resolve as firm as ever.

"We can't keep pushing like this," Luka muttered, his voice a strained whisper. "If we don't stop soon…"

Kael glanced at Mira. "Do you see anything up ahead? An opening, a break—anything?"

She didn't respond immediately, her focus sharp as her eyes darted from one corner to another. After a few tense moments, she gestured forward. "There's a bend up ahead. It might open up. Just hold on."

Kael tightened his grip on Luka, guiding him carefully over the uneven ground. The orb at his hip pulsed faintly, casting a dim, ghostly light that painted the tunnel walls with eerie patterns. It was growing warmer, as if sensing something unseen.

"Why is it doing that?" Luka asked, his voice tinged with fear.

Kael shook his head. "I don't know. But it can't be good."

As they reached the bend, the tunnel widened slightly, revealing a small alcove carved into the stone. Mira stopped, her sharp gaze scanning the space before stepping inside. "We can rest here for a moment," she said, though her tone carried a note of hesitation.

Kael helped Luka sit against the wall, his own body sagging from exhaustion. He set the orb down between them, watching as its light flickered erratically.

Mira crouched by the entrance, her bow at the ready. "We don't have long. If the cultists survived that rockslide, they'll be coming this way."

Kael nodded, wiping sweat from his brow. "Luka, how's your leg?"

"It's bad," Luka admitted, his face pale. "But I'll manage. I always do."

Kael couldn't help but admire the younger man's grit, but he knew it wouldn't last. They needed a plan, and fast.

"The orb's acting strange," Mira said suddenly, her eyes fixed on the glowing artifact. "It's never done that before."

Kael frowned, picking it up carefully. The hum it emitted was steady but growing louder, almost like a heartbeat. "It's reacting to something. Maybe whatever's ahead."

"Or maybe it's drawing them to us," Mira countered, her voice sharp.

Kael clenched his jaw. She wasn't wrong. The orb had been both a blessing and a curse since they'd found it, and now, in this claustrophobic tunnel, its presence felt more like the latter.

"We need to keep moving," Mira said, standing and slinging her bow over her shoulder. "This alcove isn't safe."

Kael glanced at Luka, who nodded weakly. "Let's go," he said.

They pressed on, the tunnel narrowing again as they ventured deeper. The walls seemed to close in around them, and the orb's glow grew brighter, illuminating their path but also casting long, sinister shadows.

"Do you hear that?" Mira whispered, freezing in place.

Kael strained his ears. At first, there was nothing but the sound of their breathing and the crunch of gravel underfoot. Then he heard it—a low, rhythmic thrum, faint but unmistakable. It wasn't coming from behind them; it was ahead.

"What is that?" Luka asked, his voice barely audible.

"Trouble," Kael muttered.

Mira moved cautiously, her every step deliberate. The sound grew louder, and the tunnel began to slope downward, the air growing colder with each step. The walls glistened with moisture, and a faint, almost sulfuric smell wafted through the air.

As they rounded a final bend, the tunnel opened into a massive underground cavern. The space was vast, the ceiling so high it disappeared into darkness. At the center of the cavern was a glowing pool of liquid, its surface rippling with a strange, iridescent light. The thrum they'd been hearing emanated from the pool, its rhythm matching the orb's pulse.

"What… is this?" Mira asked, her voice hushed.

Kael shook his head, his eyes fixed on the pool. The orb in his hand grew almost unbearably hot, its light intensifying until it seemed to resonate with the liquid below.

Luka leaned heavily on Kael, his eyes wide with a mix of awe and fear. "It's connected, isn't it? The orb and… that."

"Looks like it," Kael said, his voice grim.

Mira scanned the cavern, her bow at the ready. "We're exposed here. If the cultists catch up—"

She didn't finish her sentence. The sound of distant footsteps echoed through the tunnel behind them, growing louder with each passing second.

"They're here," Kael said, his grip tightening on the orb.

Mira moved to the edge of the cavern, her eyes narrowing as she spotted movement in the shadows. "We need to use this," she said, gesturing to the glowing pool. "Whatever it is, it's our only chance."

Kael hesitated, his instincts screaming against the idea of tampering with something they didn't understand. But the cultists were closing in, and time was running out.

"What do we do?" Luka asked, his voice desperate.

Mira turned to Kael, her expression hard. "We make a choice. Fight them here and die, or take a leap of faith."

Kael looked at the orb, then at the pool. The thrum of the two was perfectly synchronized now, the air around them vibrating with energy. He took a deep breath, his decision made.

"Luka, stay close to me," he said. "Mira, cover us."

Without waiting for a response, Kael stepped forward, holding the orb out over the glowing liquid. The heat was intense, the light blinding. He hesitated for only a moment before plunging the orb into the pool.

The reaction was immediate. The liquid erupted in a burst of light, the cavern shaking violently as a wave of energy rippled outward. The cultists who had entered the cavern froze in place, their faces contorted in terror as the light consumed them.

Kael shielded Luka with his body, the force of the blast nearly knocking them off their feet. Mira crouched low, her arms over her head as the cavern filled with a deafening roar.

And then, just as suddenly as it began, the light faded. The cavern was silent, the pool now dark and still. The cultists were gone, their bodies reduced to ash.

Kael staggered to his feet, his ears ringing. The orb lay at the center of the now-empty pool, its glow extinguished.

"What… just happened?" Luka asked, his voice trembling.

Mira rose slowly, her bow still in hand. "I think we just found out what the orb can do."

Kael nodded, his eyes fixed on the darkened pool. "And I don't think we've seen the last of it."

The trio stood in silence, the weight of their survival pressing heavily upon them. Whatever power the orb held, it was far more dangerous than they'd imagined—and their journey was far from over.