Retreat

The ceiling of the cavern was enormous, stretching far beyond what the campfire could illuminate. The surrounding darkness was unnerving, almost suffocating. My senses were on high alert, trying to detect anything that could be lurking in the shadows.

Aisha tugged at my vest, her voice trembling. "Fynn... I feel like something is nearby watching us... What should we do?"

We moved cautiously toward the tents to investigate. "Don't leave my sight, we might get ambushed by monsters." I warned, to which she responded with a quick nod, her tired eyes showing the strain of the situation.

Suddenly, a rustling noise broke the silence, echoing from the blackness beyond our camp. I froze, my hand instinctively tightening around the hilt of my weapon. Aisha tensed beside me, her breathing growing shallow. The flickering light of our lanterns barely reached a few feet ahead, leaving the rest of the cavern swallowed in impenetrable darkness.

Then came the hiss. My pulse quickened. This wasn't just the usual distant echoes of the cavern—something was very close. Watching us. Waiting. The hiss repeated, followed by the unsettling sound of clicking tongues, now coming from the opposite direction.

Another hiss, this one closer. The ground trembled ever so slightly, as if something massive was moving in the shadows. I swallowed hard and unsheathed my sword, leading us toward the fire in the center of the campsite for more light.

Aisha groaned, stomping her feet, her frustration palpable. I shot her a skeptical glance, wondering if the dungeon was finally driving her mad.

"I hate this! I hate this! Just come out instead of being sneaky, whoever you are!" she shouted in exasperation.

I raised an eyebrow. "Has she lost it? I know we've been in the dungeon for who knows how long but has she?" I thought to myself.

I grabbed her shoulders, trying to steady her. "Hey, hey, hey... Look at me!"

She stopped her frantic movements and looked me in the eyes, tears welling up in them.

She quickly wiped her tears away with her wrist before shoving me aside. Her staff began to glow as she raised it high above her head.

"O radiant star that banishes the abyss, let your divine light pierce the veil of darkness! By the covenant of luminance..."

"She's really casting a spell out here?" I thought in disbelief. "She's lost it for sure!"

I grabbed her arm, trying to pull her away from whatever crazy idea she was about to carry out. "Aisha! Cut it out! What do you think you're doing? You'll just draw them all in!"

But it was no use. She ignored my pleas, her brow furrowed as her eyes remained closed in concentration.

"...I call upon your brilliance—dispel the night, unveil the unseen! Shine forth, blazing beacon of purity— 「Luminara Nova」!"

The moment she finished her incantation, her staff flared with an intense light, brighter than it had ever been before. A small, pure yellow ball of magic rose into the air, illuminating the surrounding darkness, stretching all the way up to the cavern's ceiling. With every passing moment, the light grew more intense.

Then, a blinding flash of yellow light filled our vision, forcing us to squint. When our eyes adjusted, the entire cavern was revealed, bathed in brilliant light. Aisha collapsed to her knees, panting heavily, utterly drained from the effort of casting such a powerful spell. Her eyes were heavy with exhaustion, on the verge of passing out.

I rushed to her side, kneeling to support her, but then I heard the unmistakable growling of monsters. I looked into the distance, and what I saw made my blood run cold—monsters were everywhere, covering their eyes in agony as they tumbled and rolled on the ground, disoriented by the light.

Orcs, goblins, bats, and even a cyclops from afar—each one shielding their eyes from the radiant glow. I quickly rummaged through Aisha's satchel, hoping to find her mana potion to help her recover. After a frantic search, I found it and popped the vial open, carefully helping her drink it. She let out a soft sound of struggle, but soon, her face relaxed as the potion took effect.

Then, the same loud hiss rang through the air, but this time it was much closer—so close, I could almost feel its breath.

In an instant, a massive shadow loomed in front of me, claws raised and ready to strike. My reflexes kicked in, and without a second thought, I scooped Aisha into my arms and leaped out of the way. I barely avoided the attack as the creature's claws slashed through the air. I landed hard, my knees buckling slightly as I managed to brace myself, but I kept a tight grip on Aisha, my heart racing as adrenaline surged through me.

The massive lizard creature—its gleaming purple eyes locked onto us—radiated an overwhelming sense of menace. It was enormous, its jet-black scales marred with countless scars, proof of battles fought and survived. Its long, forked tongue flicked out, tasting the air, followed by another spine-chilling hiss that sent a shiver down my spine.

I quickly scanned my surroundings. The cavern was still bathed in the golden radiance of Aisha's powerful spell, the monsters writhing in agony, their pained shrieks echoing off the stone walls. It was a reassuring sight, but also a terrifying one. They were immobilized for now, but I knew it was only a matter of time before they recovered.

My breathing grew shallow as the reality of the situation hit me. Should I run? Aisha was unconscious, her staff lost somewhere in the chaos. The other monsters would soon regain their strength. And this colossal lizard… Could it follow us into the tunnel? Its sheer size made that uncertain, but if it could, we'd be trapped in a dead-end.

"What should I do?!"

I could feel the weight of the decision pressing down on me like an anchor. Aisha's limp form in my arms was a constant reminder of how dire the situation had become. The massive lizard loomed in front of us, its eyes glinting with malicious intent. The shrieks of the other monsters echoed through the cavern, growing louder as they began to stir, their pain subsiding under the radiant light that had already begun to fade.

I looked at the tunnel entrance with a quick turn of my head, just beyond the campsite. The tunnel beyond looked small in comparison to the vastness of the cavern, but it offered us a potential escape route. The lizard seemed slow at first, still dazed by the overwhelming light, but its eyes locked onto me with unnatural precision.

My heart raced. I could already hear the sounds of the other creatures, struggling to regain their footing. The Cyclops was rising to its feet, its large hand clutching its massive club, while the orcs and goblins began to gather in the distance, preparing to charge.

I shifted my weight, steadying Aisha in my arms as I glanced at her. Her breathing was shallow but steady, and though she was unconscious, she was alive. Her staff lay discarded a few feet away, its glow having long since dimmed. I cursed under my breath—without it, Aisha wouldn't be able to cast anything more powerful for a while.

"I need to keep her safe. But how?"

The lizard monster roared, snapping me out of my thoughts, its claws digging into the stone as it started to advance. I had no time to think anymore. If I didn't act, we were done for. I needed to get Aisha out of here, but I couldn't fight the lizard with her in my arms. And even if I could, there were still the other monsters to deal with. The odds were stacking against us.

I steadied my breath and then made a snap decision. "I'm going to have to make a run for it."

With one last glance at the monstrous lizard, I hoisted Aisha onto my shoulder, securing her with one arm. My other hand moved swiftly, grabbing the torchstick fastened to my belt. In a single motion, I lit it, the flames flaring to life as I yanked it free. Without hesitation, I hurled it toward the creature.

The torchstick crackled through the air, spinning before landing near the lizard. The beast hissed, its maw stretching wide in irritation. Then, with a sudden burst of movement, it lunged toward us.

I didn't wait to see what would happen next—I bolted. My eyes locked onto Aisha's staff lying a few feet away, half-buried in the dust. Pushing my legs to their limit, I reached it in moments, my fingers curling tightly around its smooth surface as I swung it upward.

Just as my grip secured, a harsh scraping sound tore through the cavern—the lizard's claws raking against the stone. It was preparing to strike again. But before it could, the torchstick ignited upon impact with the ground near its feet.

Boom!

A burst of smoke erupted, engulfing the beast in a thick, swirling cloud.

The smoke from the exploding torchstick enveloped the cavern in a thick, acrid haze, blocking the lizard's sight for a brief moment. I didn't wait to see if it would recover quickly. I was already in motion, sprinting toward the narrow tunnel that lay ahead.

My legs screamed in protest, but I pushed myself harder, my breath ragged and heavy. Aisha was still limp in my arms, her weight a constant reminder of how vulnerable we were. I could feel the adrenaline coursing through my veins, but there was no time to stop, no time to catch my breath. Every second counted.

The tunnel began to slope downward, the air growing colder and damper as I descended deeper into the cavern. My mind raced, trying to formulate a plan, but it was difficult to think clearly with Aisha's life hanging in the balance. Her breathing was shallow, her body limp in my arms, and I knew I needed to get her somewhere safe—somewhere I could tend to her wounds.

Just as I turned to make my escape, my foot slipped against the slick, wet stones beneath me. Before I could react, my balance gave way entirely.

Thud!

Aisha and I tumbled down the slope, gravity pulling us into a chaotic descent. The world spun around me—I couldn't tell which way was up or down. My only thought, my only fear, was Aisha. I couldn't see her. Was she still with me? Was she hurt?

Then—slam!

I hit the ground hard, my body crashing against the cold stone at the bottom of the tunnel. A sharp pain flared through my limbs, but I forced myself to stay conscious, groaning as I pushed myself upright. My vision blurred, my head pounded, but none of it mattered. I had to find her. Frantically, I scanned the darkness. But it was useless—I had no more torchsticks left. The tunnel was nothing but a void, swallowing everything around me.

No choice.

I gritted my teeth and extended my hand, focusing with everything I had. I was never confident in my magic. My mana aptitude had always been below average—I never relied on it. But right now, I had no other options. A flicker. A small, unsteady flame danced in my palm, barely illuminating the space around me. But it was enough.

And then—I saw her.

Aisha lay a few feet away, her body dirtied from the fall, her breathing shallow. Relief washed over me, but just as I moved toward her, something else caught my eye. Behind her arestone bricks. Not just rubble, but an actual stairwell.

My mind raced. There was only one explanation for this.

A way down. Another floor.

I didn't hesitate. Scooping up her staff, I slung Aisha over my shoulder once more. Staying here was suicide—between that giant lizard and the other monsters lurking above, we wouldn't last. But down there? There was a chance. And right now, that was all we needed.

I carefully made my way down the narrow stone stairwell. The glow from my small flame illuminated only a small portion of the cold, damp walls. The steps were uneven, some chipped and cracked, but I had no time to dwell on the surroundings. Every instinct screamed that we needed to keep moving, to get further away from the beasts in the cavern.

The silence that enveloped us was unnerving. The thudding of my heart in my chest was louder than anything else, as though my body was trying to warn me of the danger that still lurked above. I couldn't help but think about the lizard creature—its vicious eyes and predatory stance—its pursuit was relentless. If we didn't find safety soon, I wasn't sure we'd make it out of this dungeon alive.

The stairwell below ended and my eyes were greeted with an unexpected sight of the forest and river below sent a shiver down my spine. It felt surreal, as if the very nature of this dungeon was beyond comprehension. The walls that had once enclosed us now gave way to a vast, open space, illuminated by the glow of yellow crystals embedded in the ceiling. The light was strangely calming, but there was no time to relax. I quickly scanned the environment, alert for any signs of movement or danger.

I took a cautious step forward. The forest ahead seemed to stretch endlessly, the trees sparse yet tall, their branches reaching out in strange, unnatural angles. The river flowed calmly beside me, its waters eerily still, like some forgotten part of an ancient world. "This place..." I murmured to myself, trying to make sense of it. It wasn't like any dungeon I had encountered before. The air felt different—fresher, almost, as though we had crossed into another realm entirely. 

On a nearby tree, I placed Aisha down below the shade and her staff beside her. I laid down with my arms relaxed and sighed as I looked up at the ceiling filled with luminescent yellow crystals. "Just what on earth.. is this place."