Chapter 17 - Into the darkness

Barry and his girlfriend, Michelle, were in disbelief. "This is impossible," Michelle muttered, slumping her head onto the table. Barry tried to console her, saying, "We'll work out the necessary paperwork on our end. Don't worry." Michelle sighed, resigned. "I'm okay. There's nothing I can do but wait."

In the past, I never would have guessed that Catarina was such a big shot. She was so down-to-earth and cool, a rare person without an inflated ego. Her abilities were wind-related; she could float and summon gusts of wind at will.

We didn't waste any more time and headed straight to the government office. But they told us it would take three weeks to release my passport. I was aghast. Three weeks was far too long - more creatures would have emerged from the caves by then.

Raymond mentioned he'd ask Representative Tulla for help to expedite the process. However, since the recent announcements, the government has been overwhelmed. The police and military were spread thin across the country, trying to maintain order. The president was under pressure to step down, and everything in the government offices was moving at a snail's pace.

With little else to do, we decided to buy learning materials for the kids in the tower. As I scrambled for another solution, we stumbled upon the cave near the grocery store, the one that had opened days ago. It was barricaded and surrounded by a caution tape.

My brother, Barry, and I stared into the dark void when an idea struck me.

"There's one possible way to get there," I said, "but it's grueling and deadly." I had never ventured into the caves alone or with a group smaller than twenty. "Some caves might be linked to others around the world. We just need to find the one that leads us to where we want to go."

My brother's eyes lit up with hope. "Is there a way to tell which cave will take us there?"

I gritted my teeth. I only had theories. "Not all monsters are friendly with each other, even if they all attack humans. If a snake comes out of a cave, it's likely a den for serpents or related species. Since Amuri is a reptilian monster, we should look for a cave that hosts similar creatures. If we find one, we might exit near Michelle's location."

He nodded and tapped out a message to his girlfriend. "I'll ask her for more details. When can we start?"

I placed my hands on my hips, deep in thought. "As soon as possible. We don't even know if we'll find the right cave here. There are so many, and this route might take longer than waiting for my passport."

"True," Barry said, "but it's better than sitting around. Let's go." He jumped over the fence, and I followed. We only needed to check a few caves to see if this was the right path. But that was assuming we'd make it out alive...

••••••••••••••••••••••••••

We slid down into the cave, dusting off our clothes as we descended. When we reached a plateau, we stopped and turned on our phone flashlights. Barry was about to take another step when I grabbed his arm. "Stay behind. I'll scout ahead."

The cave was pitch black, and the air felt thin. I saw multiple openings, some small, others large enough to fit an adult. One opening was so massive it made me wonder if it had been dug out by a monster or was a natural formation.

I entered one of the tunnels and was hit by a putrid stench. Barry fought the urge to gag. The smell was familiar, this was the lair of a rat-like monster.

"Beware of its claws. Its poisoned." I said.

Without warning, a giant gopher dropped from above, its sharp claws poised to slice me apart. I dodged just in time and took a closer look.

Barry punched the creature, but since he didn't have time to charge his hand and gather energy, the gopher just shielded itself by covering its torso with its arms and skidded backwards several feet away.

The monster stood on its hind legs. Its long tail slithering on the ground like a snake. The head is infested with maggots, and its round mouth was filled with spiked teeth, two of which were larger and protruded like fangs. Its skin was rough and hairless.

"H-h-yoomans," it growled in a deep, eerie voice. The creature was intelligent, this wouldn't be an easy fight. The mole dropped on all fours and began digging. The ground shook, and Barry expected it to emerge beneath us. He raised his arm, preparing to slam his arm down.

"No! It's a trick!" I shouted. "The sides..."

Instead, the wall to my left crumbled, I shielded Barry and the gopher's claws grazed my cheek.

I lunged forward, bear-hugging the creature. Its rough skin pressed against me as I slammed it into the ground. I heard bones crack, but it growled and jumped, crashing me to the ceiling. Pain shot through my body, blood dripping from my mouth.

I fell on the ground, writhing in pain.

Suddenly, my face went numb. I pinched my cheek but felt nothing. The gopher stood up, its bones cracking back into place as if nothing had happened.

"Are you okay?" Barry asked, his voice laced with worry. "Do you want to bail, or should we keep fighting?" My brother never underestimates any situation. For him, our safety always came first.

"We must finish it in one blow. Or else, we will have to prolong this fight." My tongue feels heavy, I can't produce the syllables correctly.

He stepped in front of me, shielding me, but I reminded him that he was the damager between the two of us. I released my scroll, and my HP points glowed in a faint green light, the numbers dropping rapidly, 500... 476... 453... It was falling too fast!

"I'm ready!" I shouted, but my words came out slurred as my face began to droop, the numbness spreading. We braced ourselves for another attack. The creature had already burrowed into the ground, disappearing from sight.

"Now!" Barry rushed to the hole where the mole had dug in. He lets out a charged punch in the opening, putting every force in. A piercing shriek echoed through the cave, followed by an eerie silence. There were no more sounds, no movements-just stillness. "Let's get you to Fae," Barry said, his voice firm.

"Yeah, we need to go to her right awa-" My vision blurred, then darkened completely. Before I could finish my sentence, I collapsed onto the cave floor, unconscious.