Chapter 7 - Light of the Abyss

They were on the move again. The first and second group made their way through the tunnel with an urgent pace, constantly checking their backs. Matthew still felt nervous, and he felt slightly worse off without Blue Trick, but they were well-equipped—fire bombs, crowbars, thin metallic wires, and chains.

The flowstone here was far more abundant. It was cracked and chipped. Matthew made an effort to gather sharp, narrow pieces and encouraged the others to do the same. He was at the back of the group, while the more confident Loadbearer, who Matthew had learned was named Brian, took the lead.

He was tall with broad shoulders but had a lanky frame. His light brown hair was almost blonde, and his lazy black eyes held a constant disinterest. He was regaling the second group with an exaggerated version of their fight with the monster.

The de facto leader of the second group was a tall, dark-skinned guy with short braids. He was absolutely enjoying Brian's storytelling. The guy laughed heartily before turning back to Matthew.

"You really ran up on that thing? The balls on you, bruh."

"He was almost crushed to death twice by that thing. I saw him smiling when it rose up and deadass looked him in the face," Joey added, exasperated. His dark hair hung limp, and his eyes were tired and weak.

Matthew ran a hand through his hair before shrugging. "No risk, no reward."

The second group's leader grinned, pointing a thumb at him. "If he's gonna be that tough, we don't have any excuses."

"We're a lot more confident now. At least they know that we can survive if we play our cards right. The main thing we need to do now is find someone to lead the monsters away while the others set traps…

The chance of dying is high, though.

From what I understand, the ants probably nest somewhere in the east—this area has prey and water. As for the tunnel Parker and the others went into… I couldn't guess what's there."

The others laughed and ignored him. Matthew bent to pick up a good-looking piece of flowstone, then noticed something shining under a crevice. He gulped and reached in, hoping nothing would bite his hand, it was cool and metallic to the touch. He pulled out a wish coin.

Matthew smiled a little uncontrollably. Ever since Jackson, he had wanted to experience a wish—that mystical journey through the world beyond what eyes could see. Maybe that's why meeting that creature was so exciting. Going somewhere that hadn't existed before, doing something he had never thought possible… It was meant to be exciting. Right?

He turned to watch his group moving ahead of him. No one had seen him find it.

Matthew hid it in his coat. Greed was something he didn't want to make any guesses about. When they were returning to the cavern, he would mention it.

He stood and increased his pace, feeling the slight tick in his jacket. It was a simple mechanism Asha had suggested for keeping time since they had no technology—a string attached to his back that pulled at a sliding piece of a puzzle sewn into his jacket every time he swung his arm.

It was an estimate—roughly five minutes per pull. He reset the mechanism and used a marker to add a line on his jacket. That was the eighth line. Only twenty minutes until they had to return to the safe point.

Matthew urged the group, "Let's pick up the pace. We only have twenty minutes till the first rendezvous."

Brian and the others agreed and began walking faster. Before long, a chill began to hang in the air. It was colder, more foreboding—they were getting closer to the river.

The leader of the second group smiled and remarked, "We'll follow your lead till we split up, monster hunters."

Brian nodded a little stiffly before turning. He glanced back at Matthew, whose eyes were solid and resolute.

He acted as an anchor for Brian, displaying his trust in him.

It's a virtuous cycle, really—believe in someone's capability, and they, in turn, believe more in themselves. They work harder to prove that belief, reinforcing the cycle.

Of course, the opposite is also true. Negative beliefs held by others can erode a person's ability—though that's usually reserved for those they consider special.

They soon found another large clearing. It was a steep climb down. It wasn't dark, but the place was so expansive that the light spread weakly.

Kirk stared into the new environment, jaw dropping in awe.

"This is something else."

---

Jesse paced impatiently in the white marble temple, making sure to swing her right arm to keep the fake clock Asha had sewn into her pink robe moving. It was a little sad to let the piece get ruined, but she wanted a sense of time passing.

Someone remarked casually, "You should sit down. Wasting too much energy—"

Jesse's startling green eyes shut them up quickly. She clicked her tongue and sat, but continued swinging her arm. "I just hope those guys aren't doing anything dumb."

Adalina sighed. "You know how boys are. They care more about looking cool than being safe."

Jane nodded in agreement, turning the book she was reading with three other girls. "Can't expect much from them. I wish they'd just stay here."

"I really wish we could have gone too, rather than waiting here for bad news."

Another girl shrugged. "Not much we could do to convince them. It's not like they're wrong. Asha is so cool, though. She's the only girl they took, and she's with Parker."

"No, don't remind me! That exquisite man is out there facing death with her—nooooo!"

The girls laughed and continued chatting about the levels.

"Wishing is so cool. I really hope it's not just weapons, though. Imagine a magical pair of glasses or a pen that writes your thoughts."

"But they probably aren't easy to get. Wishing for things that aren't necessary for survival doesn't sound like a good idea."

"I can't see the boys sharing wish coins or spirit essence with us anyway. How will we get stronger?"

"Is there even a point? Just leave it to them. Imagine adding a stat card to my already pathetic strength. Better to give it to hulks like Parker."

Jane looked up at the girl and shook her head in disappointment.

The girl frowned. "What?"

"What do you think is the biggest pillar of authority?" Jane asked.

Adalina looked up, thinking hard for a couple moments. No one answered till she suggested. "Well… probably people agreeing to follow you. Kind of like Parker."

Jane laughed softly, a mature, graceful laugh that made Jesse envious. Being that hot and elegant, like some kind of princess, has to be against some law out there.

Jesse answered, "Ability, right?"

"What do you mean by ability, exactly?"

Jesse considered it before saying, "I don't know. The ability to get stuff done. People accept authority because they need something from them."

Jane nodded, pleased. Her glossy black hair was straight as a wire, and her clear blue eyes made Jesse feel slightly uncomfortable—unworthy of looking her in the eye.

Jane leaned back, grinning a beautiful white grin. "The boy's are really good at getting things done, how good are you?, do you think they need anything from you?"

"I mean… It's not like they're bad people. They wouldn't do anything, right?" someone asked.

"It's Parker. He won't let them."

"You really believe that?" Jane chuckled. "Hey don't look at me like that, I'm not trying to be mean, but… how much are you willing to bet?"

Silence.

Everyone looked uncomfortable. Jesse disliked the distrust growing between them.

"Parker isn't the only good guy out there, and we aren't relying on them for long. Just till we get out of here," she said. She had to draw a line in this—if not, it would just make cooperation harder.

We just need to trust them. They're out there risking their lives for us.

"I'm not saying they're bad people, really, but how will you justify living off their backs? Their deaths when they ask you to? Besides… who among the boys do you really know and trust apart from Parker?"

Again, no one could refute her.

We're dead weight here. Some cooking and menial work won't be enough. They could ask for more, and before long we'll…

Jesse gritted her teeth. "Matthew. He's a good guy. When everyone was worried about themselves, he worried about us."

Jane frowned. "Who's that?"

"He's the guy with a lot of really black hair, he has a pretty good beard. His eyes are blue too. Wears glasses."

"Ohhhhh. Nellie and I were talking about him before. He looks like an English teacher, kinda, you know? He also has a little accent."

Jane still looked bewildered. "Didn't notice anyone like that."

"He's pretty good-looking too. Not flashy, though, and he doesn't speak much."

He's pretty impressive, though! He figured out the thing with the altar… and he had that weird standoff with Joshua.

Jesse muttered to herself, but she noticed a strange smile on Jane's face. The pale girl watched her knowingly. Jesse frowned, clenched her fists, and resolved to keep swinging her arm.

Don't push yourself, Matthew.

—--

Matthew had a sheepish smile on his face as they descended the ledge into the new territory. This is unreal. There's nothing like this in the world. This feels like another planet entirely.

The dark cavern was a hidden world behind white fog. A massive lake pooled at one of its peaks, with a river flowing down through multiple lower levels. Countless waterfalls cascaded with thunderous crashes, their roars echoing even from afar before vanishing into the dense mist. Gargantuan roots extended from the ceiling, plunging into the water before sprawling across the cavern floor. The ceiling itself was obscured, shrouded in mist, as flying creatures darted in and out, swooping down onto the forest-like terrain below to snatch prey. Massive insects crawled across the roots, their forms unnervingly large.

They're unrealistically big, and the forest itself is unreasonable. Those leaves look as big as me... Matthew's gaze followed the water as it wound through the dark forest, weaving between the roots before crashing against the black cavern walls. This tunnel seems endless and huge. It's shaped like a cylinder so we can see the limit of the walls even though they are so far, but the end is unimaginably far. The ground drops in terraces, too... Exploring those lower areas will be a nightmare.

The whole group gingerly made their way down the terrace-like cliff, navigating the uneven descent with care. They jumped down smaller drops, slid along sloped corners, and fashioned rope ladders from discarded vines to traverse steeper sections.

At a certain point, Matthew paused, drawing the last line on his jacket before exclaiming, "Time for a rendezvous!"

The second group's messenger frowned, checking his lines. He mumbled something about forgetting to count. Matthew continued, "Let's find somewhere you can wait while we make our rounds."

After some scouting, they found a small cave under a rocky overhang, well hidden from the creatures that ruled this place. They stepped inside, dropping their bags and preparing for a fight—just in case. The cave was small enough that nothing huge could fit inside, at least. They shone their torches into the darker corners where the glowing moss didn't reach. Then they froze.

There, lying on the cave floor, was a person.

The group fell deathly silent. Hands tightened around weapons, the air became thick and suffocating with anticipation. Matthew, gripping a vine he had picked up earlier, quickly fashioned it into a lasso and looped it around his forearm. He lowered his hips, muscles coiled, ready for a fight. 

He was tall and lanky, with dark, messy hair. His hands and forearms were covered in scratches, but there weren't many other visible injuries. 

He crawled here.

Brian called out in a loud voice, "Hey, you good, man?" The boy didn't respond. He was painfully still. And then it became clear—he was dead. A moment passed. Some members of the group relaxed, while others grew somber, a quiet despondency settling over them.

Kirk stepped closer, raising his torchlight toward the body. His eyes widened before he jumped back, screaming, "What the fuck, what the fuck—what the hell is that?!"

Matthew barely held back a shiver as the light cast across the corpse's disfigured face. The skin was impossibly pale, and a gaping hole in his right cheek revealed something emerging—a root, or at least something that resembled one. It was red and slimy, with a pure white flower blooming from its stem.

Everyone took a step back, resisting the urge to vomit. Joey turned away, while Brian snarled, "This fucking hell. Should we burn him?"

"We need all we have for fights," someone grimaced in response. Another person picked up a rock and threw it at the body.

The root came alive instantly.

The boy's pale flesh swelled as black veins pulsed across his skin. His arms and legs twitched unnaturally, his body convulsing.

Then, with a sickening tear, the root in his cheek ripped itself free, flailing wildly in the air. Its stem was no longer soft but sharp—threatening. He lurched to his feet, convulsing horribly, his body jerking as if electrocuted. His eyes rolled in their sockets, rapid and unnatural, as though something pulled them hard in different directions.

They ran.

Screaming, they fled from the cave before turning back to see the corpse stumble, then fall, then struggle to crawl toward them.

Brian gritted his teeth. "It seems to run out of energy looking for prey. Let's give it some space. If something flies overhead or comes close, we run inside. Hey—don't waste any time."

The last part was directed at the messengers, who nodded, left their bags, and took off.

Matthew could only pity the boy. Whatever that thing was... it crawled through his veins. Used his body to find more food after.

The climate here is extreme, but I thought with the presence of plants, we'd find more herbivores at least… Not that herbivores were any less dangerous, but something that grows inside the bodies of living things is just… wrong.

There was a lot they needed to tell the others. A lot they needed to warn them about.