chapter 2 :- "A Hero’s Death, Almost"

In this cave, the darkness is so much that it seems to have a snake-like body which has wrapped itself around us, making us immobile. The light from the cave's gate is not even reaching us now; it feels like silence has come alive and is with us to give a warning.

The cave's cold fog had surrounded us, and its fingers were scratching our exposed skin. It wasn't this cold even outside the cave, despite the snowfall.

Such cold is enough to make even a hot-headed person shiver. I should have brought a coat, but even that would fall short in this kind of environment. But Kael and his crew have already come so deep inside the den that now, more than the fear of cold, my concern lies in the anticipation of some monster jumping from any direction.

My hands were shaking from the cold, but I was controlling myself a lot to maintain my composure in front of Kael's crew. I always knew medium-level or higher caves were very difficult to explore, but at least a lower-level cave should have been an easier task. Could it be that what's written in books about this cave is wrong?

The darkness increases, and Winter takes out his dagger and whispers chants. Because of which thunder lines emerge, and due to that, light spreads in the surrounding area. Seeing Winter, Kael's group also takes out their torches."Oh man, why didn't I bring a torch? I'm wasting my energy for nothing, I should've prepared better." Winter thought.

Winter looked beside him at the wall carvings and stopped to observe them very deeply. He recognised one of the figures. This sign was used by the very old tribes of this forest centuries ago. This is a symbol of danger; I should stop them from moving ahead.

Winter looked towards them and slowly tried to call out, but only the sound of dripping water was reaching them.

He runs toward them, "Kael, there's no monster showing up. We are probably coming 30 to 40 per cent inside the cave. And the area is becoming darker and darker."

"Kid, it's also possible that there are no monsters here, and at the end of this cave, there might be a lot of treasure, but remember one thing, we're not sharing even a single coin with you."

Kael's squad starts laughing loudly.

I was walking behind them quietly for so long to hide my presence from monsters, and these people don't care at all. Are professional people really like this? So fearless, they must have a lot of experience to be so calm in this situation.

"This is a very easy dungeon. We'll make money easily," one of Kael's men says.

Seeing Kael's carefree attitude, Winter feels something strange.

Kael's foot hits an unknown object—the half-eaten body of a goblin. Kael, in anger, kicks it and moves ahead.

This corpse doesn't look like a human work to me, and its presence confirms that there's another thing besides us in this cave.

"Kael, turning back and planning properly will do us no harm. This seems to be dangerous. Whatever is inside there is definitely not your average demon," Winter says.

"Oh man, someone shut his mouth. Don't disturb the leader, kid."

Kael's lackey removes Winter's mask."Oh, you really are a kid! Boss, look at him. A child is among us, hahaha! Do your parents know?"

Winter's face was full of confusion, and he was scared, wondering what Uncle Ten and Aunt April would say if these adventurers told them about his actions.

"What happened? Too scared to speak now? Earlier, your mouth was running a lot. What happened now?" Kael's lackey mocks Winter.

The tunnel splits into two parts. Kael tells everyone to turn towards the left tunnel.

Winter takes a step back and turns his face behind, but he couldn't gather the courage to face the darkness alone.

Then Winter looks towards the right path, but eventually moves ahead into the left tunnel.

From within the fog, some strange and hissing sounds were coming, and now even Kael's group had become alert; their cheerful nature had suddenly changed.

Shadows of things passing near the torchlight were seen. The cave's structure was changing, I could feel it, Winter thought to himself. If Kael's squad keeps walking like this without stopping, getting out of here will become difficult.

Suddenly, the tunnel started to grow on its own as if the cave were alive. The darkness and the sound of footsteps increased. The bad news was that we weren't making those sounds.

"Everyone stay ready," Kael says.

A person's scream is heard. "Help, help me!"

But Kael stays attentive, as if he already knew what was going to happen.

A goblin corpse is thrown out from the darkness. Then a spear comes toward Kael, but Kael catches it mid-air and throws it back in the same direction.

The Real Threat Appears, Goblins emerged, but they are not like the usual ones. larger, faster, smarter than expected. Not wild. They fight in a deadly formation.

Many goblins come into the torchlight's range. "At least more than 1000 goblins," Kael's lackey estimates, sensing the environment.

"This was a trap," Kael says, but his voice was cracking, as if even a calm man like him was feeling helpless in this situation.

Arrows, blades, and blood spread all through the air. Two people from Kael's squad use beam attacks, Kael creates a shield, and the healer is healing everyone.

I suddenly get injured while dodging an arrow, but no one is healing me. I understood one thing. I am alone in this fight.

The enemy's attack was well coordinated; whenever one goblin's attack ended, the others nearby would continue the assault. There was no time to dodge.

Kael's group starts retreating, but from behind them, a 7-foot goblin attacks. It first crushes the healer with its hammer.

Now there's no one left to heal. Game over. Kael, you should've listened to me. Winter murmurs.

dying like this. Here, in a den like this. Without finding Finn.... Maybe Finn also came here and died just like us. I'm sorry, Aunt April. Uncle Ten.

One goblin raises its hand and, with eerie precision, conjures a stream of refined fire. Not wild, not chaotic. This is no instinctual magic. It's crafted. Controlled. Advanced.

The flames curve like a serpent through the air, striking a fleeing adventurer's shield with explosive force. The shield melts. The man screams.

Winter watches, wide-eyed. "This isn't a raid…" he breathes."…it's a civilisation."

These goblins aren't just wild creatures hunting for food. They're defending their home, their stronghold.

One of Kael's men stumbled on a rock while shooting beams, causing him to crash to the ground, and the goblins did not wait for a single second to jump up on him. Their swarm engulfed the man.

But from a small hole, through the chaos, his eyes meet Winter's. His lips move, trembling."Help me… please." Winter freezes. He's already crouched in some far corner against a craggy wall, with no will to move.

His heart thuds and lungs burn. I give up, he thinks. This is it. Kael had already fled. His leader's form disappearing into the thick fog and deeper dark, as if he were never there at all. 

Thick. Smothering. Not a single clang, not a scream. Even the goblins halt. And in that heavy stillness. A voice makes its presence felt. "Are you stopping? Are you happy to die like this?"

Winter's breath catches. Who's speaking? Nobody would want to talk to a stranger's voice in their last moments of life. Why is everything going in the wrong direction for me today? But then a drop of blood takes form from his forehead and comes down to touch the hilt of his dagger. The blade comes to life. Then, automatically, Winter's hand released the thunder lines across the dagger, the sight motivated Winter for a tiny bit.

Soft. Hungry. They drink the blood.

Winter blinks, exhausting every last bit of his strength to stand up. "If I must go, I want a hero's exit." He clenched his fingers around the dagger." There was a reason I summoned this thing from another world; letting it go useless and not enjoying its service is quite lame. Not yet. I'm not done without taking a few goblins with me.

The goblins approach winter with a grin. Their rotted teeth bared. A goblin launches forward. The blade thrusts upward. right into the underside of a goblin's chin. Bone crunches. It collapses on him. Winter pulls the dead weight over himself as a crude, disgusting shield.

Another goblin lunges. Winter snaps and lashes out. He grabbed the goblin's neck and then let go of all the electricity that he had left because of which, the goblin lands on the ground, winter closes in on him, and in insane rage, he kicks its skull until it stops moving.

Blood smeared across his face, he mutters, "That's two down. Come on, rats." Winter gasp.

More begin to gather. Snarling. Watching. Then something lands at his feet. A head.Kael's.Eyes open. Mouth agape. A strange, high-pitched giggle follows. Childlike. Mocking. Cruel.

"Your courage," the voice returns, "has pleased me. It's been so long since I was entertained.

"Now that your little hero moment is over… want to try saving me?"

Winter's eyes widen. Who… who are you?

"Look to your right."

Winter slowly turns, and sees it. A stone door embedded in the cave wall. It wasn't there before, or have I not noticed?

Something stirs in him, not courage, not pride. Just a raw, primal urge to live.

His hand slams onto the door. It's warm. Breathing. Alive. The moment his palm touches it, the pulse. A shiver of magic runs through him, and the door opens, drawing him in.

He stumbles through. The door seals behind him. Darkness again, but this time, it feels… different. A soft green light rises from beneath, illuminating the space ahead. At the centre of the room, a glass casket. And inside it, a human body.Waiting.