Alive

Blood well:

A lone figure could be seen, sitting silently on the fleshy floor while leaning against the narrow walls of the well.

He sat with crossed legs, looking up with extinguished hope and dreams.

Some chunks of half eaten flesh which was ripped off from the floor could be seen on his hand, it was filled with bite marks.

Needless to say they tasted horrible, the cold and wet flesh of unknown origins made his stomach churn.

He had already puked countless times just to take a bite and it didn't even help him when he noticed that it can't fill his stomach.

No matter how much he ate.

'I have slept 14 times since my time here.'

A not so bright guess but he estimates that he had been down here for atleast 14 days or less.

Atleast he tried.

His body has started to absorb the nutrients present in his body by now and the blood from squeezing the flesh made his parched throat go away but the thirst remained.

'I can't even crawl..'

His head had a splitting migraine and the estimated two weeks inside solitary confinement is making him go crazy.

His eyes started deceiving him, unrecognisable colours appeared and uncanny faces stared at him from the distance.

He knew he won't die, the regeneration was too strong for it but without nutrients and strength how can he function?

Or can the regeneration bring back his stamina?

It doesn't seems to be working though.

He closed his eyes, drowsiness filling his weak bones to the brim.

'Peace.'

It was strange indeed.

Finding peace in solitude even though you're suffering inside there.

The peace made from sleep would only last for a few moments and he would go back to the sufferings again.

Ripped off skin from his palms started to heal at a visible rate.

His broken leg which was twisted in the opposite angle started to revert back.

These were the injuries made from climbing the walls.

It helped him in a wierd way by increasing his regeneration speed.

The more hurt he got, the faster the regeneration gets.

And deep inside, the soul ache started to quiet down.

The regeneration started to affect his soul.

'It is really hopeless.'

The depth seemed endless, the drop felt like a 30-40 foot drop but he climbed way past that and didn't even reach the surface.

He tried again and again and during his previous try he felt irritated and dropped down at 15 feet.

'Should I start to dig?'

The flesh was easy to cut through with his teeth and nails.

Or should he wait for reinforcement?

No way.

They must've left by now or dead.

Judging by how they treated him it must be the latter.

'Well giving it a try won't hurt.'

He reached out his shaking hand towards the ground and ripped off a chunk.

He got on his knees and started to use both his arms to dig through.

Trying to escape this pit.

The well seemed endless so wouldn't the tunnel he makes be endless too?

Well maybe.

But by making a tunnel he could get a footing on the rocks or soil unlike the slippery flesh.

The flesh can't be endless too right?

By his guess it's made from victims like him.

And so he started digging.

It didn't matter to him how much time it would take him to reach the surface or if he ever will.

But he would not get discouraged by a possibility and so he started digging with all his strength that he could muster.

Only to realise that it was futile.

********

Temple of Lilith:

A huge skeleton with pitch black armor walked in the cold and silent hallways of the temple.

A cross shaped crack ran through his skull and two curly sharp goat horns were present on his forehead.

A battle axe, which was a bit too small for him was held by him.

He was the undead demon who had just thrown Cassian into the blood and now he is hunting the remaining intruders.

His glowing red ruby eyes dimmed and he stopped dead on his tracks when a short figure appeared in the distance.

A dwarf of short stature holding a torch on its last leg navigated through the darkness

'Interesting.'

The skeleton seems to have snorted in arrogance.

...

I still remember when they used to serve and how they tried their pitiful best to impress our queen with their blacksmithing abilities.

I raised the mace which I took from the human and hurled it at the dwarf at an incredible speed and it landed straight on its face with no resistance.

Blood spilled and bones cracked, the dwarf fell on his back with a mace smashed up on his face.

I walked towards him, the smell of blood spread and attracted the mindless demon undeads.

I picked him up and threw him on my shoulder and started to walk back towards the direction I came from.

However the 'dead' dwarf stabbed a small knife into my eyes.

A ruby cracked and my vision blurred.

I immediately threw him onto the ground and stomped him head into the floor.

The cracked bit fell onto the floor and a small pink wisp of smoke leaked through the cracked ruby.

The trapped soul.

An undeads soul reside inside their chrystalised eyes and eyes are said to be the windows to the soul.

An expert indeed.

But weak too.

I stomped his head for a few times for good measure and picked him back up.

The well's hunger need to be satiated.

********

An elf of stall stature could be seen marching with dense mana focused on his eyes for night vision.

Only Callon was the one who had a better experience than the others and the fact that he could hold himself against others made him valuable.

One could only wonder how Elgor convinced Callon.

'Haah...They must be cursing at me.'

I felt dread welling up in my heart, the looks of disappointment is very hurtful.

I mean I didn't mean to do that but the statue was so enticing and the fact that the more weirder and dangerous a place is the more rewards you get made me want to resist less.

'If I save them they would forgive me right?'

Everyone makes mistakes so they wouldn't blame it on me right?

And how can they be sure I caused the disappearance?

To be honest, I can try to escape but I still want to save them.

They would feel grateful for that.

They would be indebted to me and try to repay but me, the epitome of kindness will turn it down and it would make me more revered in their eyes.

I feel great satisfaction from that.

It may sound weird but that is how I am.

The pristine white walls of the temple, untouched by time was marked by symbols I made with a small mana coated knife to make sure I won't lose my way.

Helping others and receiving their gratitudes gives me validity.

And I want my name of kindness to spread.

It may not sound exactly good or kind but that is the way I am.

I am only wearing a mask to obtain validity.

It's not the true person I am.

And it's not like I use it for evil right? So, it's a win-win situation.

And I will abandon them if it gets too dangerous.

I only joined Elgor due to seniority and experience but after seeing him in action I know he is a lucky bloke who somehow survived until now.

And the human?

I only met him for what?

A few hours? A day?

I couldn't care less about him.

If they die and no bodies are found, it won't spread and won't taint my future reputation if I ever have one.

Then a cold breeze passed through the hallway and it made me shiver.

'This is a huge maze and the centre area seems to contain something important.'

Which means a way out or.. something else.

I didn't want to idle around here and waste time so, I increased my pace and tried to find the centre.

********

Blood well:

Cassian could be seen in his previous position with bloodied hands and his head hung low with desperation.

There was no way out indeed.

'It is alive.'

The flesh is alive, slowly pulsing and the deeper he went the hotter it eventually it seared his skin he had to stop.

Getting out was hard too considering the darkness made it hard.

His eyes were closed shut, Cassian has always been feared of the dark since young and this solitary confinement didn't really help much.

Cassian had no way out.

He was getting more and more desperate.

'Should I really do it?'

The tightness returned back to his chest.

As if chains were squeezing them, the cold metal stinging his warm beating heart and it didn't hurt it just felt uncomfortable.

The chains slowly started to constrict and he instinctively knew the moment the chain completely constricts he would either be a blessed or a corrupted creatures.

Becoming a corrupted creature would be the worst outcome.

And even though it's hypocritical to say, being a blessed is more preferred by him because he can atleast have a rational mind.

And then-

Thud.

Something fell near him which startled Cassian as he snapped out from his desperate decision.

'What?'

Someone else has been captured?

Callon or Elgor?

Or a entirely new expedition team who had the same fate as them.

'Oh wait he fell near the hole!'

Cassian immediately rushed through the darkness, he had already gotten familiar with this place and was able to retrieve the body before it fell into the hole.

And judging by the long beard, it was Elgor the dwarf.

A new companion for Cassian inside this solitary darkness.